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River Ridge Rises Above Hudson

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By EDDIE DANIELS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2008

HUDSON - Entering the week, River Ridge volleyball coach Heidi Castelamare talked about how wanting her team to play with a higher level of consistency.

Castelamare also mentioned her group couldn't enter Thursday night's matchup against Hudson with their head in the clouds thanks to an eight-game win streak and not ready to work.

It wasn't the complete version of what she wanted, but the Royal Knights collected a 25-23, 25-15, 25-18 victory inside a loud Hudson High gym.

For the second consecutive season, Hudson succumbed in three games to River Ridge.

"Mentally it's a big test for us especially because we made seven hitting errors in the first game, which is not typical of what we normally do," Castelamare said.

In Game 1, neither team could create a large enough gap in order to get comfortable. Hudson (6-2) had a minute advantage in the first third of Game 1, when River Ridge (9-0) went ahead on a tip up front by Rose Gilmartin, an ace by Alex Laton, a kill from Irene Townsend and a double hit violation by the Cobras. Each of those points were scored consecutively, pushing River Ridge ahead, 9-7, and forcing Hudson to call a timeout.

"They were there for the blocks, but then they stood there," Hudson coach Linda McQuade said. "They didn't jump. They were there for the hit, but then they just stood there. It was just like they didn't immediately know what to do.

"I had some girls out there who never played a varsity game. Two of them played in a varsity and the rest haven't."

For the remainder of that first game, the teams would trade points, but River Ridge stayed one step ahead.
Laton, who led the Royal Knights with 17 kills, put back a Hudson free ball, to end Game 1.

"This year, we're so much better as a team," Laton said. "We've just come together to play our hardest."

In Game 2, Sarah Junot's tip, inched River Ridge to within one point and led to a 7-0 run. At one point, the Royal Knights held a 20-13 advantage. Hudson did it's best to attack River Ridge's middle with hitters Katy McGee and Shannon Zasloff, but never could cut into the lead.

Game 2 came to a close when a Hudson return of a River Ridge serve hit the net.

River Ridge jumped ahead early in Game 3, building a 12-4 advantage on the strength of Hudson's unforced errors.

Castelamare was also high on the job her middle hitter Gilmartin, who led the squad with seven blocks.

"Rose," Castelamare said, "rose to the occasion."

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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