Niwot volleyball sweeps Legacy

Niwot had to come from behind multiple times against Legacy High School, but ended up with a 3-0 sweep Oct. 3 on "Neon Night" with the cheerleaders and most of the student section decked out in neon green construction vests.

The Cougars started strong, pulling away to a 16-11 lead in the first set before Legacy took a time out. After a spectacular save by junior libero Elise Arends, who was all over the floor for Niwot, an unintentional dink shot that left the Niwot girls smiling gave the Cougars a 21-13 lead.

A powerful kill by senior Brooke Caquelin gave Niwot a 23-15 lead, but Legacy closed the gap to 24-20, prompting Coach Bruce Emo to call a timeout. Niwot settled down and a block by seniors Jade West and Jiselle Sales closed out the 25-20 victory.

Senior setter Anne Haley started the second game by giving Niwot a 1-0 lead. Haley's leadership on the court and her expert ball placement while setting, interspersed with occasional dump to keep the opponent honest, has been an asset for the Cougars for the last four years.

Kills by juniors Bella Berger and Eloise VanSelus gave Niwot an early 4-3 lead, but a series of hitting errors by the Cougars put them behind 9-5 before they took a timeout. An ace serve by junior Sienna Knight closed the gap to 10-7 but Legacy kept the margin at three points until a block by Sales cut the Legacy lead to 13-11. A kill by Berger closed the gap to 14-12 before Legacy once again pulled away to a six-point lead at 18-12.

Four aces by Berger on the serve, including two that hit the net before falling to the floor, brought Niwot back to within one point at 18-17 before her luck seemingly ran out with a serve into the net. But an official's timeout before the serve gave her new life, and she put the ball in play. Haley made two terrific saves and Berger finished off the volley with a kill to tie the game at 18.

Niwot took the lead at 19-18, but Berger's next serve hit the net to bring Legacy back to a 19-19 tie. Berger responded by tipping the next ball over the net, and a block by West followed by a kill by West gave the Cougars a 22-19 lead. VanSelus posted a kill for a 24-21 lead, and after Legacy closed the gap to 24-23, the Cougars closed out the win, 25-23, thanks in large part to a dig by Arends in the final volley.

In the third set, Haley again started off with an ace serve for a 1-0 lead. The teams traded points until a net call against Niwot, followed by a long unsuccessful volley, found the Cougars behind 11-7. With Caquelin serving, Niwot had a five-point run to take the lead, 13-11. Two kills by Berger put the Cougars up 16-13, and a powerful kill by West followed by a Caquelin block increased the lead to 18-14, but Legacy came back to tie the game at 18 all. At that point, Coach Emo called a timeout, and the Cougars regrouped. After a kill by Caquelin off a terrific set by Haley put Niwot up 21-19, the officials reversed what seemed to be a Niwot point, and called for a replay.

The Cougars didn't back down, picking up the next point with sophomore Addison Ryg serving. Niwot closed out the victory, 25-21, on a point by Haley to complete the sweep.

Coach Emo, filling in for head coach Tony Engel, was pleased. "It was exciting," Emo said. "I'm now 3-0," he said, explaining that he has now filled in three times this season for Engel, whose daughter Addison is now playing volleyball at Alabama.

Emo, who maintains the same quiet calm demeanor on the bench and during timeouts as Engel, praised the play of Berger, who generated chants of "Bella" from the raucous student section and cheerleaders. Emo also cited Arends, the libero, for her defense, as well as Haley's steady play, West's dominating kills, and Caquelin's all-around play. The Cougars are now 10-3 on the season.

Next up for the Cougars is a league match against Mead High School at home on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m.