Mustangs swept by Bruins in league
Mullen loses in 3 sets to Cherry Creek 25-20, 25-14, 25-18 to dip to 6-5; home match against Eaglecrest on Wednesday.
Younger, inexperienced teams have their ups and downs and Mullen had just those on Tuesday night.
Playing at home at Hutchison Fieldhouse against Cherry Creek, the Mustangs were swept by the Bruins 25-20, 25-14, 25-18 as they hit the stretch run of the regular season and take on the higher end of the Class 5A-based Centennial League.
The Bruins, who dropped their Season C opener 3-2 to Cherokee Trail, won their 10th consecutive match in staying atop the loop.
The Mustangs, now 6-5, certainly had their moments in each of the three games, but not enough of them.
“Yes, our consistency is not very good,” Mustangs head coach Jeff Oliver said. “It’s disappointing. There’s a team inside of us that can play and compete with these teams, but we do not consistently do it.”
Cases in point – Mullen trailed 16-4 in the first game before rallying to make it respectable; the Mustangs tied it at 9 in the second game before fading; and they were buried early, trailing 17-6, before making their final move in Game 3.
“We’d go on a streak,” Oliver said, “and it would end. It’s part of a young team.”
Said Mustangs senior Jessica Oates-Stamm: “We have to get better at shutting down their runs a little sooner.”
In getting swept a second time by the Bruins, the Mustangs, who had two freshmen see action, also had trouble dealing with 6-foot-8 Carter Booth, a national team player and junior who has committed to Minnesota. Oliver said he thought his front-liners were intimidated a bit by her prowess, but Oates-Stamm felt she and her teammates fared better in the second go-round.
“I think the first time we played them we were, but not much this game,” she said. “We just have to learn to stay consistent the whole game, dig deep when we need it and maintain our energy. We need to sustain it.”
Mullen will host Eaglecrest on Wednesday, April 14, 6:30 p.m.
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