Head coach Jason Mocherman is always intentional.
That’s why Riverview volleyball opened its season against Charlotte — a top team in the area — where the Rams were swept. And it’s also why the Rams played 20-time district champion Venice two games later, losing 3-0 once again. Mocherman scheduled the hardest opponents early, hoping it would expose the issues the head coach needed to fix.
And on Tuesday, Sept. 1, it looked like Mocherman learned a lot in five matches. Riverview defeated Lakewood Ranch 3-1 at home. After dropping the first set 25-21, the Mustangs won the next three (25-22, 25-16, 25-16). Senior Lyla Bailey had over eight kills, while Madelyn Marsters added pivotal blocks to push the Rams past Lakewood Ranch.
“We’ve got a lot of
talent on this team,” Mocherman said. “And one of the things that we have to do as a program is put the right pieces in the right spots. And we’ve been doing that kind of systematically over the last couple."
Mocherman said it allowed him to see what changes Riverview (3-2) needed to make.
So, when the Rams dropped the first set against Lakewood Ranch (8-2), Mocherman shifted from a rotational defense to perimeter. The head coach also benched senior outside hitter Juliana Birchbauer during the first half of the second set before moving her to right side, another adjustment that “paid dividends.”
Trailing 9-4 in the second set, Riverview worked its way back into the game. Senior middle blocker Kate Grosso had two kills, then middle blocker Aurora Nzeza recorded one of her own. Riverview won five straight points to tie 11-11.
“We made sure our energy just got more uplifted,” Marsters said. “And we just kept diving for every ball and trying to go for every single point. We read their hitters a lot more…we adjusted to them, so we can come back stronger.”
The Rams strung several more points together led by three aces from defensive specialist Harper Hayworth. Leading 21-19, Riverview survived Lakewood Ranch’s late four-point streak, winning the second set after a Bailey kill.
Entering the third set, Riverview dominated. Tied 7-7, the Rams won 13 of the next 16 points, taking a 20-10 advantage. The Rams never relinquished with outside hitter Laila Edmondson capping the set with a kill.
“We simplified some things and got rid of substitutions,” Mocherman said. “We just tried to get our system going…we’re still trying to figure it out. I think tonight we probably smoothed off some of the rough edges.”
The two teams traded points in the fourth set. Tied 13-12, Birchbauer had three pivotal kills, helping Riverview to an 18-14 lead.
From there, Grosso, Edmondson each had kills, while Marsters had a huge block to take the fourth set.
“We can just keep pushing no matter what,” Marsters said. “Even if we drop a set, can come back from it een stronger, and then do a reverse sweep, and it works perfectly.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Riverview volleyball uses early season tests to beat Lakewood Ranch
