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Bulldog spikers reach Las Vegas Invitational gold bracket final

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Ramona High School, one of 36 girls volleyball teams participating in the Las Vegas Invitational tournament Aug. 28-29, finished second in the tournament after reaching the gold bracket final.

“I was very pleased,” said coach Connie Halfaker. “We did not drop a set until the final.”

The Bulldogs thus began their season with a 7-1 record, sweeping two rounds of pool play and winning their semifinal match before a three-game loss to San Dieguito Academy.

“We went all the way to Las Vegas to play San Dieguito Academy in the finals,” Halfaker said.

The Bulldogs and Mustangs will play each other again later this month. Ramona’s first home match of the year will take place Sept. 9 against Olympian and the Bulldogs will then travel to Rancho Buena Vista for a Sept. 17 competition before hosting San Dieguito Academy on Sept. 23.

Ramona’s matches in the first round of pool play Aug. 28 were at Foothill High School in Henderson. The Bulldogs began play with a 25-19, 25-8 victory over Douglas (Minden, Nev.), defeated Foothill in 25-9 and 25-18 sets, and triumphed over Boulder City by 25-10 and 25-19 scores.

“We probably relaxed a little bit in game two when we won easily the first game,” Halfaker said. “It’s a really long tournament, so you kind of pace yourself a little bit.”

The teams that finished first and second in their first-day pools then competed in the championship division. Ramona’s Aug. 29 matches took place at Las Vegas High School. The Bulldogs first faced California opposition against Sanger High School, which placed second in its Friday pool; Ramona took a 25-14, 25-19 victory at the Apaches’ expense. Palo Verde High School of Las Vegas also finished second in its first-day pool, and the Panthers fell to Ramona by 25-9 and 25-18 margins.

Elsinore High School, which is actually in Wildomar rather than in Lake Elsinore, won its initial pool and faced Ramona to conclude the second round of pool play. The Bulldogs prevailed by 25-22 and 25-17 scores.

“That was our strongest competition to that point,” Halfaker said.

The four teams that won their championship division pools then competed in the gold bracket semifinals. In the semifinal between two teams called the Bulldogs, Ramona defeated Centennial High School of Las Vegas in 25-13 and 25-17 sets.

San Dieguito Academy won its semifinal against Carson (Carson City, Nev.) to set up the championship match between the two San Diego Section teams.

Although Ramona won the first game of the final by a 25-21 margin, the Mustangs countered with a 25-23 victory to force a third set and then prevailed in that 15-11 contest.

“It was very evenly matched,” Halfaker said. “I was impressed with how consistent the girls were. As the matches went on we got stronger and smarter.”

Halfaker said that her players were able to apply lessons to specific scenarios.

“Our team just grew tremendously,” she said.

The all-tournament team included senior libero Sydney Hickle and junior setter Sammy Shupe, but Halfaker noted the roles of the team’s other eight players.

“Everybody contributed very, very strongly,” Halfaker said. “Just really proud of everybody.”

The upcoming schedule of one match a week will allow the Bulldogs to address the weaknesses which were exposed during the tournament.

“We’re going to have some good practice time,” Halfaker said. “We’re going to build on our strengths.”

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