Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Greg and Lori Coumas recall their fallen son, Kyle

• Some women veterans feel their service goes unrecognized

• Lodi woman cherishes scrapbook with news of World War II

• Interim superintendent: Galt won't receive state bond money after all

• Dave Cogdill will retire from State Senate next year

• Regional Roundup

• Veterans Day closures

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

ADVERTISEMENT

Lady Flames go toe to toe with volleyball champs before bowing out

Emily McConahey was killing, Tori Shepard was digging, Jenae Reich was blocking and the Flame Fanatics were rocking.

The Lodi High volleyball team had everything clicking in Tuesday night's Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoff match. Unfortunately for the Flames, the seven-time defending champion Nevada Union Miners were also on.

Lodi traded the Miners point for point for most of the match, but Nevada Union came away with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 15-18) victory in a battle that ended Lodi's season but looked nothing like a No. 3 vs. No. 11, first-round playoff match.

"I think that our energy was there. We held up with them," said Shepard, who finished with 10 digs, four kills, one block and one assist. "They are seven-time champions and we took a game from them. We came together as a team and never gave up and I think that's all you can ask for. We did so good. I am proud of our team."

The Flames (19-9), the San Joaquin Athletic Association co-champions and the section's No. 3 seed, were dealt a tough hand in having to host No. 11 Nevada Union (32-9) — which holds the longest championship streak in the section's volleyball history.

"We don't like to be seeded that low, but it's also very unfair to Lodi that they have to see us in the first round because there are seven or eight teams ahead of us who are not nearly as good as we are," said Union Mine co-coach Larry Peterson.

With every long volley, including some that seemed to last for several minutes, and every Lodi point scored, the crowd at The Inferno went wild, adding to the intense atmosphere.

"We played really well. It was a fun match," Lodi head coach Krista Brereton said.

In Game 1, Lodi senior Shantel Dickerson served up an ace to tie the game at 21-all before Nevada Union won the last four points to take the match.

Game 2 was even closer. Despite a 13-1 run that put the Miners up 16-7, Lodi battled back to tie the game at 22-all. Just when Lodi appeared to have control of the momentum, the Miners took a timeout and regrouped. Abbie Miraldi, who finished the game with 15 kills, then recorded three kills in a row to give Nevada Union a 2-0 lead.

Game 3 also went back and forth before back-to-back kills by Reich put the Flames up 24-23. With the Lodi bench on its feet and the crowd roaring, Nevada Union hit the ball out of bounds to help Lodi force a Game 4.

Lodi got down 11-6 to start Game 4, and despite tying it up at 16-all, never regained the momentum it had in Game 3.

"I was surprised on how hard Lodi hustled on everything. They didn't let anything hit the floor," Peterson said. "That No. 5 (McConahey) is a heck of a player and I thought both of their setters (Colburn and Addie Alegre) did a good job. We feel like we escaped."

McConahey led the Flames with 15 kills and also added six digs. Reich totaled nine blocks and nine kills, Ally Drake scooped a team-high 17 digs and added an ace, while setter Betsy Colburn had 18 assists and seven digs.

Contact reporter Joelle Milholm at joellem@lodinews.com.