Frustration mounts for Musketeers
Moorpark girls' volleyball team letting promising season slip away
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers NOT A GOOD NIGHT- Despite a valiant effort by libero Teale McIntosh on this play, the MHS girls' volleyball team lost to Thousand Oaks in three games on Tuesday.

Flip through the Moorpark High girls' volleyball team's media guide and you'll see photographs of players that are hugging and laughing and having a good ol' time.

Those feelings, though still relevant on a personal basis, have somehow been lost on the court in recent weeks.

On Tuesday night, in front of a larger-than-normal home crowd, the Musketeers hosted Thousand Oaks High. Playing against a team that was looking to claim its third consecutive Marmonte League title, Moorpark rolled over.

According to MHS junior middle blocker Shannon Thompson, the shame wasn't in losing to Thousand Oaks in three games- the Lancers won 24 of 26 matches before getting past Moorpark for the second time this year- the shame was in the way the entire team played as individuals lacking a clear goal.

"It's angry. It's frustrating- it is," Thompson said.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers TOO MUCH T.O.- Thousand Oaks' Kelsey Neumann, left, rejects a return by Moorpark's Amber Bell during the Lancers' three-game win Tuesday night. TOHS is the league champion.

"It shouldn't matter what grade you're in, how tall you are, how short you are; I don't care if someone is this tall (hands toward the ground) and all they can do is pass, they should be able to be a leader on the court. Everyone should be able to be a leader on the court- every single person. That's how it should go."

Thompson wasn't the only unhappy Musketeer.

After watching his team sleepwalk through the first two games, losing 25-12 and 25-13, Moorpark head coach Brendan Hanson ripped into the squad prior to Game 3.

Hanson's backlash, a rarity for the laid-back coach, seemed to work well as MHS went point for point with the Lancers until TOHS pulled away late for the 25-20 clincher.

They were missing "fire, passion, intensity; it's the one thing that's killed us all year," Hanson said afterward. "We've been Jekyll and Hyde, yin and yang. I've got two teams this year, and it's obvious to everyone that watches us."

The good Moorpark team, the one Hanson said is the most talented he's had in his five seasons as the varsity coach, started the year by winning 12 of its first 15 matches.

As September turned to October, however, the Musketeers' fortunes changed.

In a 12-day span from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9, Moorpark lost six consecutive matches, including league setbacks to Westlake, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park.

Battling injuries, the Musketeers rebounded with victories against Simi Valley, Calabasas and Royal. By that time, though, MHS had already put itself into a hole just to try and get into the playoffs.

Junior outside hitter Rachael Kidder said it now feels like she's playing on a completely different team than the one that dominated early on.

"It was way different before," Kidder said. "No one really worried about losing, so we'd just play as hard as we could, and people were so into that.

"Now, when there's pressure, when we're playing against a team like T.O., people on the team just already assume we've lost, and they kind of don't go after it as much."

None of this sits well with the players, coaches, parents and fans of Moorpark volleyball. There remains, however, a silver lining.

As the Moorpark Acorn went to press Thursday afternoon, the Musketeers were preparing to play their regular-season finale at Newbury Park. MHS entered the match with a 16-11 overall record and a 7-6 mark in league. A win would've guaranteed Moorpark at least a tie for third place.

Going into the playoffs as a potential third or fourth seed, or even as a wild-card qualifier, wasn't what the Musketeers had in mind at the onset of the season.

Still, until the final whistle blows in the final match, Hanson knows his players have the physical tools to compete with any team and, therefore, a chance at victory. Whether or not the Musketeers have the mental makeup to step up when the chips are down is a question that will be answered very soon.

"If we make it to the playoffs, there won't be any easy games," Hanson said.

"I'd just like to see us step up and want it. There's really no other way to say it; we've got to come out and we've got to start playing with some heart and some passion."