Oran squashes losing streak to NMCC in two dramatic sets

Thursday, September 8, 2016
Oran's Brianna Stause (11) reacts after a point against New Madrid County Central Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, at Oran High School. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

ORAN, Mo. -- For the first time in five seasons, the Oran Eagles volleyball team own a win over New Madrid County Central.

Entering Thursday night's SEMO Conference match, NMCC held a 9-0-2 record over Oran since 2011. It took two close sets, and a late call that kept Oran alive, to squash that streak but Oran pulled away late to win both 26-24 at Oran High School.

"It's really big for us," Oran assistant coach Erika Hutchcraft said, who's filling in for head coach Larry Boshell due to an illness. "We were covering, which is something we haven't been doing, we were moving our feet, blocking. They just picked it up a little bit this game. New Madrid gave us a good run for our money. I'm proud of them."

Oran's Jessie Long (19) blocks a shot attempt from New Madrid County Central's McKenzie Simpson (11) Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, at Oran High School. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

The home Eagles took control of the final set from the get-go. They built a 22-17 lead at one point only to watch as NMCC strung together one of it's biggest runs of the night to tie it at 22-all adding to the dramatic finish.

After Oran's Jessie Long hit a shot that sailed out of bounds, NMCC rejoiced after taking its first advantage of the set at 23-22. The next serve was handled by Oran and eventually returned to NMCC's McKenzie Simpson to set up the game's defining moment.

The NMCC junior punched the second hit with her right hand as she was falling towards her right and into a teammate. The two bounced off one another sending someone's foot close to the center line. The official on the ground called NMCC for being under the net and awarded the tying point to Oran as the ball fell on the other side of the net.

"She was not under the net," NMCC coach Whitney Gorton said, who feverishly appealed the call to no avail. "She was about a foot away from the center line. That's why I threw a big fit."

The call seemed to energize Oran, who was suddenly given life after allowing their five-point lead to slip away.

"That was huge," Hutchcraft said. "That really gave us that leg up. The girls got excited about it."

Although it rejuvenated Oran, Long's next serve sailed wide handing NMCC a 24-23 lead. Simpson did the exact same thing during NMCC's serve tying the set for the fifth time. After receiving Oran's serve, NMCC sophomore Alexis Phillips was caught with her back to the net and tried to lift a shot behind her but hit her side of the net instead for a 25-24 Oran lead.

The match ended when Oran's Megan Tenkhoff served an ace.

New Madrid County Central's Shelbie Karafa (17) dribbles the ball before her serve against Oran Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, at Oran High School. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

"They pulled together at the very end and just decided to get past them," Hutchcraft said.

Oran (2-3) trailed for most of the first set before catching NMCC at the 22-point mark, much like NMCC did during the final set.

NMCC enjoyed a 17-11 lead at one point thanks to a long serving rally by senior Erica Palmer. But one passing error led to a hit net, a serve out of bounds, a ball that ricocheted off a basketball goal above the playing surface and a few other NMCC mistakes that led to the 22-22 tie.

"I think they let a lot of things get in their head and they just kind of let down and I've seen that a lot this year," Gorton said. "We let one bad mistake or one bad call get in our head and it's really hard for them to pull it back out."

The second set featured eight ties and seven lead changes before a tip/kill by Oran's Brianna Stause and a hit by NMCC that sailed long for a 26-24, first-set win by Oran.

"Oran's a good ball club," Gorton said. "They have a bright future with some great servers and good hitters."

NMCC moved to 4-2 on the year following a historic season last year that brought them a district championship for the first time in 25 years. The Eagles lost five seniors who made up the bulk of that team and are looking for a new lineup that hasn't quite taken shape just yet.

"Last year's particular six had played together for awhile," Gorton said. "They were very in sync with each other. It's still the beginning of the season and I have a whole new six players on the floor that have not played together, really ever. I have a lot of depth, but we're still getting used to each other."

Both NMCC and Oran are scheduled to take part in the 48-team Dig For Life Classic at Southeast Missouri State University and Notre Dame High School starting tomorrow and running into Saturday.

There are 16 three-team pools with the winner of each pool advancing to the gold bracket, second place heads to the silver and third qualifies for the bronze bracket which will begin Saturday afternoon.

NMCC is in Pool A along with Farmington and Campbell while Oran is in Pool M with Poplar Bluff and Kennett.

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