Durant forgets a few miscues to win, advance

By BRANDON WRIGHT
Published October 27, 2005

CLEARWATER - Durant used a 7-1 run in Game 5 to hold off Countryside and advance to the semifinals with a 23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 13-25, 15-11 win Wednesday.

"It came down to us not wanting to have it end here," Durant (13-10) senior Brittany Wilson said. "We had some troubles, especially in Game 4, but we sucked it up like we had to."

Leading 2-1, Durant's offense bogged down in Game 4. Countryside went on a 17-3 run, aided by 10 Durant hitting errors, to even the match. "After (Game 4), I told everyone to play Game 5 like it was the first one," Wilson said. "We just had to look at it like it was a fresh start and clean slate."

Countryside (19-6) gained control in Game 5 and led 10-8 before Durant went on its 7-1 run. Wilson had a kill and an ace during that stretch, and Sam Sarff closed out the match with her match-high 15th kill.

"We focused on the fact when Game 4 was over, it was over," Durant coach Jay Gordon said. "You have to live in the present, and the girls looked at each other and said they weren't ready for (the season) to end."

Countryside struggled with Durant's serve. The Cougars finished with 12 aces, and when they weren't winning points with the serve they were putting Countryside in difficult offensive situations.

"We had a lack of focus on our serve-receive tonight, and you can't do that against good teams," Countryside coach Kaylyn Bayly said. "It got us in tough situations and we didn't pass well after it."

Wilson finished with 14 kills and added six blocks. Wilson credited sophomore setter Alexa Donini with putting her and Sarff in prime hitting locations.

Durant travels to play Saturday against the winner of the Timber Creek/Melbourne match.

Sickles traveled south to Sarasota Riverview, where the Gryphons promptly had their season ended in a Class 6A first-round region match, 25-15, 25-23, 25-15. Sickles ended one of its best seasons in school history at 18-8.

- TIMES STAFF

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