by Dennis McCall
Taft Midway Driller
Taft College was sharp in winning the first set of Wednesday's Central Valley Conference volleyball match against visiting Porterville College.
Scoring the last five points for a 25-19 victory the Cougars were unable to carry that momentum into the second set.
Plagued by mistakes on offense and defense, the Cougars gradually let things slip away in set two as the Pirates finished it off with a 7-0 run and a 25-13 win.
TC battled back in the third set, staying close until the Pirates used a pair of 4-0 runs for a 25-17 decision.
The fourth was close with the Cougars trailing 10-11 before Porterville took advantage of a string of errors to go on an 8-0 run that fueled a 25-17 finisher.
"We made so many mistakes," said coach Kanoe Bandy.
It showed in the numbers.
The Cougars had 27 kills and 22 errors.
The mistake bug hit some of her top hitters hardest.
Chelsea Wong had just six kills and nine errors, Sweet Viamoui four kills and seven errors and Nalani Kekuawela four kills and four errors.
Maeleen Hopeau led the team with nine kills. She had just two errors.
When Bandy told her she led the team with nine kills, Hopeau replied, "But coach, that's not good."
Bandy agreed.
The Cougars had serve/receive difficulties and problems handling Porterville's trio of freshman outside hitters â€" Kendyl Estes, Shelby Vanasen and Deja Manning.
On the defensive side of things, freshman libero Halle Neher delivered 13 digs despite suffering minor injuries in a car crash two days earlier.
Wong and Kaylynn Palama had eight apiece, Tara Kelley six and Kamalani Kahele five.
Hopeau had three blocks, Viamoui and Kekuawela two each and Baillie Jensen one.
The Cougars are idle on Friday and return to action next Wednesday with a trip to Sonora to take on Columbia College.