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Players use ‘smack’ talk as motivation for advancing to day two of state tournament

By Eric Sorrentino - | Oct 31, 2007

? Before the Tonganoxie High volleyball team’s final match Friday night, Liz Baska overheard mumblings from Clearwater players. The subject of the chatter wasn’t exactly friendly.

“Word was that they were talking a little smack — they said that (senior) Sami (Franiuk) was (our) only really good hitter and everyone else was just OK,” Baska said. “It got us fired up.”

It showed on the court of the Salina Bicentennial Center. Tonganoxie defeated Clearwater, 25-23 and 25-21, in its final pool play match of the state tournament.

Tonganoxie’s match against Clearwater was an instant volleyball classic. Both teams entered the match with 1-1 pool play records.

Terms were simple: Win and advance to Day 2. Lose and go home.

“I had more nerves in me than ever,” senior Shannon Carlin said. “It’s amazing. I’m glad we’re not riding on a bus home in the morning. This is our last chance. It’s all for one, one for all. Go out and do it and get it done.”

After winning a close first game by two points, Tonganoxie trailed, 15-10, in the second game. THS co-coach Brandon Parker immediately called a timeout.

“It was time to put up or shut up,” Parker said. “We’re going to decide as a team if we were going to be strong enough to get this done. I challenged them and (co-coach) Tiffany (Parker) challenged them. We’re at that point. We’re fighting for our lives to get in the semifinals.”

Apparently, the talk worked. After the timeout, the Chieftains had four straight kills by four different players to cut the lead to one. Carlin, Baska, Franiuk and junior Chrissy Jeannin produced the points.

Tonganoxie then tied the game at 17 and never trailed again.

“Tonganoxie does not give up,” Carlin said. “Everyone had the will to do it. We said, ‘There’s no way Clearwater is stomping over us.’ We had to come out and prove to them that we’re Tonganoxie.”

The Chieftains finished pool play with a 2-1 record. THS defeated Colby, 25-16 and 25-14, but lost against St. James Academy (Lenexa), 25-22 and 25-19.

More THS volleyball Web content from The Mirror:

See the THS photo gallery from the state tournament.

To read the Chieftain volleyball blog, updated all weekend from the Salina Bicentennial Center, click here.

For the game story of the Chieftains taking third at state, click here.

For sports editor Eric Sorrentino’s latest column on the Tonganoxie volleyball team, click here.