Chinle outlasts Many Farms in five sets

CHINLE

Alysha Bitsuie got more than her fair share of goosebumps on Tuesday night.

The Chinle volleyball coach was overwhelmed with enthusiasm as the Lady Wildcats outlasted Many Farms in a marathon seesaw affair.

The set scores were 25-15, 18-25, 25-7, 20-25, 15-13. 

“It gives you goosebumps when they make a kill,” Bitsuie said.

In the final set Chinle had nine such kills, including the game-winner by middle hitter Temitra Totsoni.

Bitsuie said she was happy they pulled off the win but with a few seniors out, her team played inconsistently.

“I think they were pretty anxious about playing their first game,” she said. “They were nervous but we’re going to clean up those mistakes.”

In particular, Bitsuie said they gave away a lot of free points away as Chinle was whistled for five rotation errors.

“Those shouldn’t happen,” the Chinle coach said.

Many Farms coach Tulene James felt that the momentum shifted in Chinle’s favor late in the game, as they were two points away from winning the match. 

While trailing for a good part of the fifth set, the Lady Lobos tied the match at 13-all on a stuff block from middle blocker Kahia Lamothe but on the very next play they had a serve go wide.

“I thought that ball was in,” said James. “It was pretty close but I am proud of my girls. They surprised me by coming back. We started off slow but we got the momentum and then it went the other way.”

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