Opening the Postseason...

Hardin-Simmons started what is going to be the first of many post-season volleyball matches I'll cover over the next couple of weeks with a match against East Texas Baptist in the quarterfinals of the American Southwest Conference tournament and then a couple days later with the finals against UT-Dallas. It was the first time in a few weeks that I got to see a competitive match. Lately I've been covering a lot of 3-game sweeps, so to see the team I was covering get pushed to four games was kind of welcome for once. It also left me with more opportunities for pictures.

The first match going four games happened on deadline and while I was glad for the extra time it did make me a little nervous about getting back, but I knew as long as they didn't got to a fifth game, I'd be back in plenty of time. It also gave me plenty of time to get an idea who the hitters and the best defensive players were since this was only the second time in the season I had gotten to shoot them.

For the Cowgirls championship match against UT-Dallas, I was kind of hoping for an extra game since I was getting to the match a little late after having to cover a football game that went to overtime. However, that didn't happen, the teams did stretch every game out about as far as they could though, with all three ending 25-23. I guess that was just as good, besides, I pretty much knew what my photo was going to be and it was going to happen at the end of the match. The great thing I have always like about volleyball is since they celebrate pretty much every point, I know at the end there will certainly be a good celebration there.

HSU vs ETBU...

I find it kind of funny sometimes how I can spend a whole game shooting and the majority of my best photos come from just a couple minute period. The game between Hardin-Simmons and East Texas Baptist was just that. The game was kind of turning into a blowout and I was thinking of leaving at half time, however, it was homecoming and I needed to get a shot of the homecoming queen (that's a whole 'nother rant for another time).

So, I figured I'd stick around for the first few minutes of the third quarter to see how things played out. It really paid off, since my best photos all came from about a five minute stretch to start the second half. It also blew an already lopsided game even more wide open. By the fourth quarter the backups were in and they were pretty much just running out the clock... my queue to leave.