TStreet 15-Chris sweeps Saturday action at Triple Crown West Coast Invite

by Marcos Aragon

SALT LAKE CITY — Wrapping up their third and final match of the day, TStreet 15-Chris was eager to end their shift at the Triple Crown West Coast Invitational on a high note. TStreet’s defense came up big in the second set and propelled them to a victory over Club V, 25-22, 25-14. 

TStreet was down by six at one point in the first set, but great team defense eventually held Club V at bay long enough for the offense to claw their way back in. Chris Sisson, head coach of T-Street 15, expressed his respect for his opponent by calling this match the “toughest match of the day, if not the tournament.”

“They really pushed us,” said Sisson. “It was just a matter of staying composed and doing the things that we do. Defense, dig the ball, attack high and hard, make them defend and make them earn their points.”

Things changed for TStreet (Irvine, CA) in the second set as their defense stole the show. Sisson says his team’s energy level remained high all game, despite a close first set and two previous matches (victories over South County 15's and Renovators). 

Between matches, Babi Gubbins says that her focus is always on rest and recovery, and knows the extreme value of those on her body.

“My body is my instrument,” she said. “I really have to make sure I feel well before I play.”

Gubbins believes that the strength of her team is their ability to dust themselves off after each play and stay focused on the next point. Gubbins notes that it’s also nice to be able to show off for the college coaches again.

“That’s what gets me motivated and excited to play,” she said. “Even the best players make mistakes. If I make a mistake, it’s fine — move on to the next play and just hope to do better.”

Annah Legaspi says she wasn’t too tired when it was time for their final match, instead she feels that the level of competition only makes her more excited. Legaspi also credits her team’s depth as well for their ability to stay fresh for each match.

“Each match, in my opinion, got harder and harder. So I was just ready for a better team to play,” she said.
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Sisson agrees with Legaspi’s assessment of team depth and added, “we have a lot of girls who can contribute in a lot of different ways, so we had an opportunity to get a lot of playing time all the way across the board.”