Reading’s season over after failure to take the fifth
The Red Knights rally to force a fifth game, but then fail to capitalize on their momentum in a District 3-AAA preliminary round loss to Carlisle.
By Steve Patton
Reading Eagle
YORK — The fifth game in volleyball is all about momentum and get-ting a lead.
Reading High had the former, but never got the latter in a District 3-AAA preliminary round game Monday night, which meant the end of its season.
The Red Knights broke out of two-game slump for a dominating win in game four to force the fifth-game sprint to 15 points, but didn’t seize on that momentum and lost 15-10 to Carlisle at Central York High.
The 3-2 defeat ended the Red Knights’ first trip to districts in more than a decade and also wrapped up a four-year run for a group of sen-iors who helped rebuild the once-formidable program.
“I’m happy that this season went long,” said outside hitter Hermes Albino. “This was our senior season and that’s what we wanted. We could have made it go longer, though.”
Indeed, the Red Knights (13-7) seemed to have positioned themselves for a return trip to Central York Wednesday for pool play. Despite their relative lack of playoff experience, the Knights were the confident team early, racing to a 7-2 lead in the opening game, then extending it to 19-10 on the way to a 25-20 victory.
But as well as Reading played in the first game, it quickly changed.
“They played the way they’re supposed to play, and then something clicked off,” said coach Steve Hudak.
Carlisle (11-8) took an 8-2 lead to start the second game. Reading used two blocks and a kill by Alex Dos Diaz to fight back to within a point, at 9-8, but then slumped again and fell behind 15-9.
The Thundering Herd began to exploit its size advantage in the mid-dle, going on a five-point run in a 25-16 victory, and continued to work the middle in the fourth game.
A pair of Juan Estevez kills helped get the Knights out of an 8-3 hole in the fourth game, but not for long. A 6-0 run put the Thudering Herd ahead 18-10 on the way to a 25-17 victory, and the Knights appeared fin-ished.
Instead, they again played like the team that started the match. Lead-ing 11-10 in the fourth game, they delivered four- and five-point runs to take a 19-12 lead. Estevez had three of his 11 kills in a finishing burst that gave Reading a 25-16 lead and momentum for the decisive game.
Instead, Carlisle scored the first three points. Reading twice came back to tie it, at 6-6 and 8-8, but never got the lead. Carlisle scored three quick points to make it 11-8, made a service error, and then scored three more points in succession.
“We did lose momentum in that last game,” said Albino. “It hap-pens.”
That’s been a season-long issue for the Red Knights, who too often had trouble breaking momentum swings. When they’re good, they’re very good. But the lulls lasted too long, especially Monday.
“It’s a roller-coaster for us,” said Hudak.
Getting to that fifth game, however, was important for Hudak and the players.
“I told them, ‘If you worked this hard to get here, you can’t just give it to them,’ ” he said.
The 13 wins were the most for the team since 1996, and eclipsed the program total for the last five seasons combined.
“They gave us a lot,” said Hudak. “It’s been a fantastic season. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
? Contact Steve Patton at 610-371-5097 or spatton@readingeagle.com.
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