Posted: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:10 AM - 7,962 Readers

By: Nick Talbot

The Killeen volleyball team started the season strong, but since has been in a downward spiral.

The Lady Roos opened the season with four straight wins and a tournament trophy in Florence but have lost 11 of their last 12.

Facing the No. 3 team in Class 4A, Lake Travis, on Tuesday did not help.

Add in the fact the Lady Roos

were missing their strongest hitter, Traecia Nichols, due to an ankle injury and the result was to be expected. The Lady Roos fell 25-5, 25-14 and 25-7 to the Lady Cavaliers.

"We have a lot of work to do, but you know going in when (the Cavs) average 6-foot, it is going to be tough," said Killeen coach Shelly Jones.

Killeen struggled to find a rhythm against Lake Travis' attack.

The Lady Cavs jumped out to a 9-2 lead, and forced Killeen to call a timeout to compose itself.

It did not help.

Lake Travis (32-3) kept the pressure coming, picking up an ace to push the lead to 14-3 and multiple kills to finish off Game 1 with a wide 25-5 margin.

Killeen made a rally in Game 2. After falling down 8-1 to start, the Roos pulled within 12-6. A service error by Lake Travis, brought the score to 15-8, but the Lady Cavs reeled off five straight points and looked like they would begin to pull away again.

However, kills by Tiara McIver and Carle Foster and a big combo block by McIver, who led the team with five, and DeVee Cannon brought the Roos to within eight, 22-14.

It just was not enough. DeQuise Robinson looked like she had a kill to keep the Roos alive, but the umpire ruled the ball long and Lake Travis took Game 3, 25-14.

"I felt like Carle did a great job of putting some excitement into the game and then Tiara did a great job of blocking. We just could not get to it once she got the ball up," Jones said.

Lake Travis poured it on in Game 3. Jumping out quickly and never letting Killeen even think it had a chance. The only strong play the Roos made was a tap over by McIver to stop some of the bleeding at 19-5.

Killeen continues District 25-4A play against Marble Falls on Friday. Last season, the Roos and Marble Falls battled for the final playoff spot in 25-4A, eventually going to a playoff play-in match to determine the fourth-place playoff seed out of District 25-4A. The Roos fell in four games.

"Marble Falls is not that way. We just have to do better on defense and take care of our serves," Jones said.

"I just hope we play better as a team. I made a couple of moves I think will help us, pulling a couple of kids up (Jasmine Goodwine and Crystal Ellis), and we will just have to see (if it works)."

*  Story Contributed by: Nick Talbot