Bayshore Christian gets Out-of-Door out of the way

By BRYAN BURNS
Published October 27, 2005

TAMPA - Bayshore Christian began its run at a third straight state championship at home on Wednesday, defeating Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy 25-12, 25-16, 24-26, 25-20.

Bayshore Christian (19-5) will face Lakeland Evangel Christian or Lake Worth Christian on Saturday in the region semifinals.

Although her team won, Bayshore Christian coach Melanie Humenansky was clearly not pleased with the effort.

"We didn't play very well," Humenansky said. "No practice on Monday probably hurt. Playing on a Wednesday was different. There were a lot of obstacles to overcome mentally, but we pulled through."

Out-of-Door won the third game and led 10-9 in the fourth to turn what seemed like a comfortable Bayshore lead into a tight match.

Bayshore then won five straight points to take a 14-10 lead in game four and held on for the victory.

"She pointed each of us out (during a timeout in the fourth game)," Bayshore Christian junior Adria Mullaney said of her coach. "She pointed me out as a leader and said that we all need to step up if we want to go to state."

Mullaney led Bayshore with 13 kills and 10 digs.

"We played down to their level and didn't play our game like we should have," Mullaney added.

"I think we took the game too lightly," Bayshore's Heather Johnson said. "We're going to have long practices (Thursday and Friday), but I think after tonight we're really going to step it up."

Jannica Mollett had 10 kills and nine assists, Ashlea Ballengee contributed a team-high 30 assists, and Johnson added nine kills for the hosts.

[Last modified October 27, 2005, 01:29:09]