Dos Pueblos’ blue-chip starters stepped out of the spotlight at Sovine Gym Tuesday night and let the reserves and JV players get some love.
Sally Yingst led the way with nine kills and the top-seeded Chargers (23-5) advanced to the second round of the CIF girls volleyball Division I-A playoffs with a 25-10, 25-18, 25-21 win over visiting Paso Robles.
“It’s refreshing in a way to get someone new in the match,” said setter Paige Craine. “When they come in you can sort of tell they have this nervous look on their faces, but you want them to do well and it brings up the energy.”
Energy-levels are always a concern for a team coming into a contest as the overwhelming favorite, but DP coach Dwayne Hauschild said he was “absolutely happy” with the level of charge in the Chargers.
Hauschild was a little too charged at one point, earning himself a yellow card midway through the third game and having to hide his emotions behind his yellow legal pad the rest of the way. The referee gave the booking because he felt Hauschild was arguing too many calls.
The whistle never got a rest during the match, and the ol’ adage “let ’em play” was on the coach’s mind.
“Every kid on that team and our team worked so hard to get to CIF and play volleyball,” he said. “My only concern is letting the kids play volleyball.”
Everybody got to play for the Chargers, and it seemed like everybody made a good play at some point. Yingst let loose from the left side and detonated a set for a kill to put DP up 20-18 in the third game. Karina Evans had done the same from the middle just a few points before, drawing a healthy cheer from the starters on the bench.
Sophie Harris came in to run the offense at setter and looked confident and composed, while Jordan Roberts made some nice digs. There was even a sister-sister vibe in the final game, as young Taylor Racich came in and shared some sets with her older sister, Pepperdine-bound senior Caitlin.
Katelyn McDonald put away six kills for the Chargers, and Crane ended up with six digs, three aces and 24 assists.
Up next for the Chargers is West Ranch, the second-place finisher in the Foothill League, on Thursday. The location will be determined by coinflip.
(Photos by Blake Dorfman/PresidioSports.com)
