Class 4A No. 9 Clear Creek-Amana downs Demons

WASHINGTON - When a team is winless, it can be a tall task to compete with a ranked team and even harder when it has a towering front line augmented by a 6-foot-2 accurate power hitter. It didn't matter to the Washington Demons Thursday in a nonconference volleyball match with Class 4A No. 9 Clear Creek-Amana. Coach Lexa Mahr told the Demons to worry about controlling what they were able to control and they did that with attitude, hustle, energy and defense.

Washington lost 25-12, 25-14, 25-14, but there was a stretch when the Demons matched the Clippers point for point.

Trailing 12-4 in the second set, the Demons were outscored by three to end the set and had a chance to tie the third set at 10. Remy Messinger chase a ball into the stands to keep it alive. Olivia Marek patrolled the net with communication. Alexandrea Murphy contributed key blocks. Sophia Kleese was digging up balls and Kenializ Espinosa was putting them down.

But CCA had Hailey Pollock, the previously mentioned heavy hitter who could hammer balls down the line or right in between the Demons front and back rows. Then she would soft tip into an open spot. She connected on 14 kills in the match.

'Our conference (WaMaC) really toughens us up with good competition and prepares us for the postseason,” CCA head coach Jackie Clubb said.

CCA is 14-3. Washington is 0-13 and plays next in the Southeast Conference tournament Tuesday in Fairfield.

'I saw our play improve in each set and we kept our energy and spirit up,” Mahr said. 'We knew they would be aggressive offensively so we had to answer that aggression on defense.”