Missed Opportunites

On Saturday we suffered our third loss of the season. We were defeated by tubillete.com Aireuropa Tenf. 2-3 (20-25, 28-26, 25-19, 18-25, 10-15). We pretty much should have beat this team 3-0 or 3-1, but we messed around and let them control the game. It was a game of miscommunication, many errors and missed opportunities.

We came out on fire in the first game, containing them while we made a run for 25. But in one instance we lost focus and committed errors that would eventually let them back into the game. Once they tied us and took the lead, we were never able to catch up. It took the wind out of us a little bit and we hung our heads as we crossed over to the other side. But that is no time to give up. We still had at least 3 more games to play.

The second game was pretty close the whole way through. Tension was in the air and everyone on both sides could feel it. For them this could have been the nail in the coffin and for us it would have been a huge blow to have to come back from 2 down. We hung in there and made it to game three with timely kills and crucial blocks. In game three we didnt even look like the same team. We jumped out to a pretty nice lead and never really looked back. You could rename this game the block party, becuase we literally set up a wall. Lindsay Stalzer, who finished the game with five blocks, and Maria Revilla came up big in the blocking area. At one point I didnt believe they could get anything past them.

Game four was completely opposite. They jumped out to a big start and we could never really catch up. Even though at one point we started to make a run, but it was not enough. Another big factor was their big middle Sherri Williams. Yes, another All American from Florida. She is a very good player and we could not defend her. Our only hope was to contain her and hope it would be enough. The final and decisive game 5 would start off much like the fourth. We got behind and really could not make a run. If you subtract our errors, it might have been closer with a different outcome. We definitely had our opportunites the whole match to put them away but did not take advantage. That was all she wrote.

Thats the thing about athletics. You have to be there in the moment. Right in that instance. Can't think about the previous error and you cant try and produce the future. You have to play right then and there. You have to convert right then and there. You have to score when the opportunity knocks and if you dont, there might not be another opportunity to do so. No do overs. This is something we will have to work on in the upcoming games. Mental toughness and awareness.

"You need to stop thinking about whats gonna happen. You need to focus on what is right in front of you. HIT THE BALL." - Grey's Anatomy

Next game is at Home in Benidorm versus Traysessa Santa Cruz

Photo taken shortly before the match. Vamos Finestrat.