Officially the bald eagle has been removed from the endangered species act, and while I don’t see any of these eagles are bald…I do think their W will be endangered tonight…

Coming off a strong showing at the Sonoma tournament, the Dons are eager to show these birds who can really fly.

Let’s goooooooo!!

Set 1.

And the Eagles take first blood off of a strong shot from the Dons that went long.  But the Dons get it right back and we’re tied at 1.

Sweet set by Emme Seelenbacher to Kylah Rose Fox for the SMASH!! To kick off this fight, it’s looking good!

After some back and forth at 5-2 Emme with the set dump!! Rena Liu to serve, and whoosh across the net! And then Stella Larkin to Emme to Sophia Terry PERFECTLY placed in the back corner!!  And an ACE by Rena to tie it up!!!  Getting our mojo baby !

A SPECTACULAR one hand save by Stella to get it to Piper to get it to Sophia for the point!  Man that was poetry.

Strong play by both teams and it’s turning once again into a slog. Each team trading points and giving the serve away.  But the Eagles wind up stringing a few together and it’s 11-14 Eagles.

But Piper Coy say’s, “Not on my watch!” and answers with an ACE!!!

Stella Larkin now with the rock. Backed up by Maelin Mason with the THUMP for a point!! Followed by a Larkin ACE!!! And Stella FIRES another one that is just too hot to handle and Dons take the lead.  Awesome streak by Stella!

19-18 Dons.

And Maelin to the corner 20-19 Dons.

Tough ricochet and it’s knotted at 20.

Sophia puts up a wall at the net to take back the serve. But the eagles take it right back and it’s a 1 point game…22-23 Eagles. But a sweet touch by Sophia and we’re tied again.  Man this is back and forth!

But now 23-24 Eagles. And Addy TRETER with the DENIAL at the net 24-24 Piper with the ball. And The Eagles 4 touch!!

Piper serves up some serious whoop…and a Stella, Emme Sophia combo FTW!!!

Set 2.

Christina Hageboack comes in to serve and smokes two in a row!! And Piper puts the exclamation point on another kill. Eagles go long and Christina is sitting on a 4 point streak.

5-0 Dons.

And we start rolling!  Behind Piper for more points…

Stella, Christina, Sophie- sweet!  And after a nice little streak and it’s 10-3 Dons.

But after a short skid yielding 5 straight to the Eagles, Annie Baker and Sydney Graves come in for some relief.  But The Eagles don’t slow down and take the lead 11-12 Eagles. And before more damage can be done Coach Haley takes a time out at 11-14.

The Eagles have put up a 12 point run. Time to focus.

After the TO, Annie Baker with the kill to get the Dons back in the game. And Addy Treter takes a point.  But the Eagles place it right back in the corner – then the Eagles give it up back and forth, it’s a tight one.

16-18 Eagles. But a shot too deep and the Eagles take it back. I mean someone turn the record over it’s time for Take it to the Limit, I’m tired of “Desperado!”

And an amazing sequence of touches by both teams with the Dons coming out on top and it’s

18-20 Eagles.

And Sophia with the KILL!!!  And Piper with the KILL and its 20-24 Eagles.

But the Eagles take the second set.

Set 3.

Tensions high in the stands as we kick off the third set. And it starts like a tennis match.

Stella serve then Piper to Christina to Sydney Scovic. 3-3. Piper with a strike and it’s 4-4.

Dons slide 4 before a TO by Coach Haley and we’re in a hole at 4-9 Eagles.

And MaeLin serves up an ACE. Wicked! And another point via the ducts in the gym. Another ACE! And one at the net for the kill.

And a GREAT run by MaeLin takes us to within 1. 9-10 Eagles. Until one of the Eagles tips it as the bail sails out of. bounds and it tied at 10.

Back and forth and great touches and all that. Tied at 12.

An EPIC rally goes our way.

And Sophia Terry just about took someone’s head off with a kill!! Stella serving. Another rally but the Eagles send it long. And Kylah with a SMASH!! And some confusion and chaos on the Eagles side of the court.

And it’s 17-14 Dons

Again good play back and forth, fighting point by point and it’s 20-17 Dons. Defense wins championships, and our defense was on fire! Dons defense takes it back and we get right to work!

Awesome STAB by Piper to take the ball from the talons of the Eagles and put the Dons to within 2. 23-20 Dons. And Piper finishes the job with the killer serve takes set 3!!!

 

Set 4.

A quick two for the Eagles. But Piper with a streak of 3 with an ACE!!

A few errant passes and one handed saves and the Eagles take a few more and it’s 5-7 Eagles.

But we take it and Sydney Graves serves with intent!  While Sydney Scovic makes a monster save at the net!! And we take a few more…including the lead.

9-8 Dons.

Another EPIC rally with killer touches ended by Scovic and her lite touch, PSYCH! at the net. So pretty!

12-11 Dons.

13 all.

14 all.

15 all.

These girls are really battling for every point!

EPIC set KILL Christina to MaeLin!!

16 all.

Addi Ames with the CRUSHING BLOW!!

18-17! Dons, Eagle serve.

18 all.

But the Dons drop 2 points to the Eagles and Coach Haley calls a time out.

18-20 Eagles.

Sydney Scovic with more sweetness at the net, faking out the Eagles girls at every turn and Piper with the POWER serve take 2 quick ones. And we’re within 1!!

And PIPER with a WALL at the net and it’s ties 22 all!!!

And some confusion on the Eagles side and it’s 23-22 Dons.

More help from the duct work and it’s 24-22 Dons.

And the DUB to the DONs!!!!!