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Big-minded Richmond advances to regional final with victory over Regina – Macomb Daily

Sakege November 13, 2024

When Regina was making life difficult for the Richmond volleyball team, the Blue Devils turned to ABC.

“When things get tough, we remember our ABCs and just reflect on them to ride the wave and not the roller coaster,” senior point guard Katie Teltow said Tuesday after Richmond defeated the Saddelites 25-23, 25 -21, 25-17 in a match. Division 2 Regional Semifinal at Marysville High School.

“Stay awake and don’t let them get to us. “I think we do a very good job of that.”

And what are those ABCs?

“Act big. Breathe big. Commit big,” Teltow said.

That was never more evident than in the first set. The Blue Devils took a 4-0 lead helped by a star serve from Teltow and a kill and block from Alayna Esselink. Regina responded with a 12-1 run highlighted by three kills from Amanda Vushaj.

The Saddelites were leading 14-10 after a kill from Marisa Vushaj, but Richmond got one side on a kill from Mikayla Starnes and the Blue Devils scored eight straight points on serves from Jordyn Jones to take a lead they never relinquished.

A hit by Amanda Vushaj, who missed much of the season with an injury, kept the match close, but Jones secured the victory with a kill.

“We did a good job of coming out strong, then we broke down a little bit and gave it back to them,” Blue Devils coach Char West said. “So we just tried to get back on track. The girls have done a great job knowing that they are capable and believing in themselves. They don’t get depressed or overly dramatic.”

The second set was tied throughout. Richmond led 22-21 when the Blue Devils got an Esselink attack. Esselink served the last two points, and the last came again on a kill by Jones.

“We just played our game,” said Ryley Pastuschyn, who was one of the main hitters along with Jones and Esselink. “We figured it out right away instead of letting them figure out how to play. “We just got up today.”

Regina’s Sara Wilking (14) and Richmond’s Jordyn Jones (8) are in the net. (GEORGE SPITERI – For the MediaNews group)

It was Richmond’s first volleyball regional since 1988.

“We had to calm our nervousness,” Esselink said. “I wouldn’t say we were nervous, but it’s been a long, long time since Richmond played a regional game. It was a lot for us. We really came out ahead in the third set. “I am proud of my team.”

Regina coach Laura Papa thought that if the Saddelites had won one of the first two sets, the result might have been closer.

“Richmond is a very, very solid team. They played very well. But when you lose two sets it is very difficult to come back,” he said. “There are a lot of nerves. “We fought really hard but some days it’s just not your day.”

Dad thought his team might have tried too hard to avoid elimination.

Photos from Richmond’s 3-0 win over Regina in the regional semifinals

“When (Amanda Vushaj) came out, she said, ‘I just don’t want this to end,’” Dad said. “They were in panic mode in that final set.”

An 8-1 run, featuring three consecutive kills from Jones, gave Richmond a commanding 11-5 lead en route to the sweep.

The Blue Devils improved their record to 44-10. West gives a lot of credit to his assistants, Angela Jones and Sarah Pastuschyn.

“Sometimes I get excited and focus on one thing,” West said. “Ang and Sarah will say, ‘I’m noticing this’ or ‘I’m noticing that,’ and we’ll fix it. “It’s good to have three points of view.”

Regina closed the season 20-12-2.

“Determination was our thing this year,” Dad said. “We don’t give up. Even when we were down 24-7 in the third set we didn’t give up. “We were very brave and got some really good wins.”

Richmond will play Country Day, which swept Chandler Park 25-8, 25-2, 25-8 in its semifinal, for the regional championship at 6 p.m. Thursday in Marysville.

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Big-minded Richmond advances to regional final with victory over Regina – Macomb Daily

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Big-minded Richmond advances to regional final with victory over Regina – Macomb Daily

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