SANDY — Though they were a little slow out of the gate, the Timpanogos Timberwolves volleyball team flourished as the match against Jordan went on, finally winning 18-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-20.
The Timberwolves never held the lead in the first game, dropping the first four points and never getting any closer than two for the rest of the way. Jordan looked strong, and Timpanogos didn't try to take control throughout the first game. But all of that changed heading into Game 2.
Timpanogos coach Joe Peck blamed the lapses in the first game on early season jitters and the fact that one of his top players sat out before rejoining the starting lineup for Game 2.
"That first game we were playing scared, not aggressive. Finally, for the second game, they decided, 'We're better than this,' and they put things together by getting focused and gaining confidence," said Peck.
Instead of folding after a rough start, his team turned things around on the Beetdiggers by racking up eight straight points in the second game and coasting to an easy victory.
And much of the huge Timpanogos' effort came from a group of juniors that were not on the varsity roster last season. Arianne Avery led the attack with 11 kills, a killer serve and a strong block. She was joined by up-and-comer Susan Sulz, who added six kills in a strong effort.
"Susan gets better every time she steps into the gym. I can't wait to see what she can do at the end of the season," said Peck.
Morgan Freestone put down six kills of her own in just the final three games, and Jessica Fisher added four as the Timberwolves blasted Jordan with a true team effort.
Game 3 was tight from the opening serve as the two teams rallied through 10 ties before the Timberwolves bombarded the Beetdiggers with seven straight points after a deadlock at 14.
Libero Rosa Alberran finished things off with an ace on game point.
All the momentum swung in the T-Wolves' direction as they again ran away with the first four points in Game 4, and the Beetdiggers just didn't have the guns to bring things back. But they certainly didn't give up.
The T-Wolves were at match point with a 24-14 lead and couldn't put the match away. Jordan came back with six points before Avery finished it off for the T-Wolves.
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