Homer’s Kelli Bishop sets the ball to a teammate during a Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019 volleyball game against Kenai Central High School at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Homer’s Kelli Bishop sets the ball to a teammate during a Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019 volleyball game against Kenai Central High School at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Kenai netters top Homer on Mariners senior night

The Homer Mariner volleyball team suffered an emotional loss to Kenai Central High School on senior recognition night Tuesday.

The Kardinals won the Southcentral Conference match 3-0 in three close, intense sets during the last home game for the Mariners — the last time the team’s four seniors (Kelli Bishop, Karmyn Gallios, Kitri Classen and Marina Carroll) would take to their home court.

With set scores of 25-20, 25-22 and 25-22, Kenai advanced to 9-3 in the league, which Homer dropped to 5-3.

Head Coach Stephanie Carroll said she wasn’t sure if it was the high emotions of it being senior night that distracted the team.

“We’ve kind of just been in kind of a slump,” she said of the Mariners. “We’re kind of hit that point in the season where they’re really fighting to bring their energy and their focus to practice, and it shows in games.”

Carroll said things like service errors, lack of communication and hitting errors all tally up fast, and that the team will have to clean those up if they want a shot at making it to the state tournament later this season.

“I hope this was a wakeup call that our work we put in at the beginning of the season has to continue,” she said.

Kenai Coach Tracie Beck said the Kardinals did a good job of keeping their heads down and not letting the high stakes of another team’s senior night get to them.

“I think they just kept their heads stuck to the game plan, and it worked,” she said.

The Mariners now move on to play Redington Jr./Sr. High School on Friday and Houston High School on Saturday.

Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.

Kenai’s Bethany Morris tips the ball over the net while Homer’s Marina Carroll jumps to block during a Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2019 volleyball game between the two schools at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. It was the last home game of the season for the Mariners. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Kenai’s Bethany Morris tips the ball over the net while Homer’s Marina Carroll jumps to block during a Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2019 volleyball game between the two schools at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. It was the last home game of the season for the Mariners. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

More in Sports

Barrow's Eric Librado and Angelo Reyes break up a pass intended for Kenai Central's Sawyer Vann on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Mid Alaska Conference: Kenai tops Barrow; Homer routs Redington

The Kenai Central football team defeated Barrow 21-8 on Saturday in Mid… Continue reading

tease
Seward football tops Eielson to finish perfect regular season

The host Seward football team defeated Eielson 66-10 in nine-man football Saturday… Continue reading

tease
Saturday volleyball: Kenai, Homer win divisions at Slamma Jamma

The Kenai Central volleyball team won the King Salmon Division, while Homer… Continue reading

tease
Kenai girls, SoHi boys swimming and diving capture Kenai Invite

The Kenai Central girls and Soldotna boys swimming and diving teams swept… Continue reading

Soldotna's Andrew Pieh intercepts a pass intended for Chugiak's Kaden Lockwood on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Justin Maile Field at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna football routs Chugiak on senior night to stay perfect

The Soldotna football team defeated Chugiak 63-7 on Friday in Railbelt Conference… Continue reading

tease
Brown Bears take 4 points on weekend

The visiting Kenai River Brown Bears defeated the Springfield Jr. Blues 4-1… Continue reading

tease
Dahl, Aldridge take wins at 3rd week of Chainwreck Cyclocross

Nels Dahl and Morgan Aldridge took victories at the third week of… Continue reading

tease
Friday volleyball: Nikiski tops Seward; Kenai goes undefeated in Slamma Jamma bracket play

The visiting Nikiski volleyball team defeated Seward 25-22, 25-20, 20-25 and 25-19… Continue reading

Soldotna's Tania Boonstra sprints to victory in the Kenai Peninsula Borough girls race Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai’s Fallon, Soldotna’s Boonstra run to borough titles

Soldotna sophomore Tania Boonstra and Kenai Central senior Greg Fallon won the… Continue reading

Most Read