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Here we go again: Boyd faces familiar foe in playoff opener
Photo courtesy of Manny Flores of buzzzphotos.com
By Richard C. White, rwhite@starlocalnews.com
Let the madness begin.
After advancing all the way to the Class 5A State Finals last season, the McKinney Boyd volleyball team is steadying itself for another deep run this November. The first obstacle in their way proves to be none other than Dallas Skyline, who the Lady Broncos will meet in their playoff opener for the third straight year.
Boyd swept Skyline in three sets in both 2010 and 2011.
The match is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and will be the second part of a doubleheader at Richardson Berkner that will begin with Allen versus Richardson Pearce.
The reigning 10-5A district champion Lady Broncos are 32-7 on the year, and have won nine straight heading into the postseason. Quinn though knows that while Skyline may be the same school they’ve easily beaten in the past, that hardly guarantees that they’re the same team this year.
“While I know this is a team we’re capable of beating, we’re not underestimating anyone,” she said. “If we play our game, I don’t think they’re more skilled than we are when we’re at our best, so it should be a good first playoff game for us.”
Despite Boyd’s State Finals run last season coupled with this season’s strong 32-7 showing, Quinn is quick to remind her players that even the best teams can fall in the first few rounds.
“I don’t think in the playoffs you can feel confident about anything as you have to prepare for anything because anything can happen in the playoffs,” she said. “Just like college basketball has its March Madness, we call this November Madness because you never know who’s going to come up and play their best. If a coach ever says they’re comfortable, that’s when they have to be worried.”
While their expectations should only be their immediate opponent and not any potential deeper playoffs matchups, Quinn is happy to let her players enjoy the playoff atmosphere they’ve fought hard to reach once more.
“They’re very excited,” Quinn said. “They know it’s a whole other ballgame when you make the playoffs. We’re confident in our skills, but you can’t overlook anyone.”
The Lady Broncos were recently tested, but showed great resolve in their regular season finale Tuesday night, a tight five-set victory over a scrappy McKinney squad on the road.
“It gave us really good momentum to take into the playoffs,” Quinn said. “It was a good match to end on. We’re just going to take from it the knowledge of learning how to fight and push through, whether we have the lead or we’re playing from behind.”
The Lady Broncos will look to their senior leadership to carry them deep into November. Boyd has depth in their senior class, which is made up of the seven seniors Haley Dickschat, Emma Meyer, Kelly Koop, Kaley Seaber, Megan Mollett, Krista Bukovec, and Caitlyn Mills.
“The girls that have been on varsity the last few years, they know that we’ve been able to get past Skyline,” Quinn said, “but we’re even deeper in that this group of seniors is very seasoned in terms of the playoffs.”
In particular, there are three seniors, Bukovec, Seaber and Mollett, who have been on varsity since their sophomore year with Seaber and Mollett having been on varsity since their freshman year.
“They’ve played in 13 playoff games. That’s a lot of experience,” Quinn said. “We lost in the regional semifinals their sophomore year (2010) and the state championship their junior year (2011) so they know what it takes to carry their team deep into the playoffs.”
Quinn knows that it takes more than senior leadership for any team to succeed, so while much will be expected from the Class of 2013, just as much will be expected from their teammates, such as junior Lauren Petrisin, as well.
“We need everyone to come and play. Kaley is pretty rock solid, she comes out every game and has a good match and so does Krista,” Quinn said. “Lauren Petrisin has been stepping up a lot right now and Kelly Koop has too, but we need Megan to have a good game. She’s one of our top go-to players and we need her.”
The best teams find a way to balance that fine line between confidence and overconfidence, something Quinn said her team understands as it begins a new playoff run Tuesday night.
“We just need to make sure that we come out confident, yet not cocky,” she said. “You can’t be cocky, you can’t be overconfident. We need to have the mentality of, ‘This won’t be all there is. We’re not going to be a one-and-done playoff team.’ It’s up to us to make sure we take care of our business.”
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