El Dorado outgunned by Vista del Lago

FOLSOM — If there were do-overs in playoff volleyball the El Dorado volleyball team would get in line for another chance at Vista del Lago.

Instead, the Cougars' 2011 Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff run is over after they lost a poorly played 25-20, 25-9, 25-10 match in Folsom Thursday night.

"I wanted to win for our seniors. This is so sad," junior Lena Gavin said. "But we didn't play well at all. We didn't play as a team."

The second-seeded Eagles, who won a share of the Sierra Valley Conference title with Union Mine for the second year in a row, now advance to play No. 6 Placer in their quest to defend their Sac-Joaquin Section championship.

Other than a brief time in the first set, the Cougars were out of sync, not communicating and generally scrambling just to get the ball back over the net rather than running their system.

Gavin's huge dig to keep a rally going, followed by Keely Franz' block to win the point cut into Vista's early lead, and Franz' tip and Caralyn Smet's block tied the game at 4-4.

The Eagles retook the lead but El Dorado fought back behind kills from Smet and Lara Bangs and the Cougars charged ahead on a block from Courtney Macklin and Smet — and again on a block by Franz and Kylee Hardy.

Macklin dug a ball out of the net and she and Hardy combined for a block to put El Dorado back up 10-9 and a Vista return that sailed long gave the visitors a two-point advantage.

From that point the Cougars kept it close but Vista made some adjustments and slowly pulled away. Madison Danker's tip, a block from Franz and Hardy, Macklin's block and Franz' deflected kill were not enough to hold off the Eagles.

Cougar errors and poor serving in the next two games ruined any chance for El Dorado to rebound as Vista easily won the next two sets.

Macklin was credited with five blocks, Hardy had three block assists, and Franz had seven kills in the match.