Maki makes it right, serves team to a win

COURT WILLS / News Virginian
Published: October 31, 2007

STUARTS DRAFT
For the past couple of practices, something's been missing from Rachel Maki's power game - her serve.
"At practice, it's either been going out of bounds or in the net. I've really been struggling," said the Cougar power hitter.
In Tuesday's first-round Southern Valley tournament match against Rockbridge, the storyline was no different for the senior.
After serving an ace at the start of Game 2, Maki's service game suddenly became erratic. Her next serve sailed over the service line, leaving the Cougars out of luck. In Game 1, the Wildcats blew out the Cougars 25-14.
"I wasn't really surprised because I hadn't had a good practice," Maki said. "But all coach [Kami Meeteer] kept telling me was 'you have to get your serves in, you have to get your serves in, you have to get your serves in.' And I just said, 'OK, Coach.' "
That's all it took for Maki and the Cougars to get back on track in Game 2 and to win the match.
With the Cougars leading 16-13, the vibe in the Cougar den became electric for the bubbly senior. With a whipping first serve, Maki's counterpart, Tabitha Bowman, became a force to be reckoned with as well when her kill fell in the back row.
"I was stoked," Maki said with a huge grin. "We tend to feed off each other a lot. When she starts hitting big, I start serving big."
For the next seven points, Maki couldn't be stopped. For once she ignored the little voice in her head and just served the ball. The Cougars went on to win Game 2 25-13.
"I used to do that all the time, but I found that it was just too distracting," Maki said.
She had found her "sweet spot."
"I watch the ball. Then I look at my hand and then, finally, I look at my hand hitting the ball," Maki said. "That's it."
With the match tied at 1, neither Maki nor the rest of the purple-ribbon ponytail Cougars were done.
"In Game 1, I think we were nervous. We just didn't come out to play and Rockbridge was ready for us," Maki said. "They came out and kicked our butts."
But in the final two games, the storyline was a little different. Missed serves, missed kills and missed blocks became a thing of the past.
"Rachel's been working on [her serve]. Once she got those points in the first game, she came into the huddle and said, 'I finally got it coach.' She said she had worked it out," Kami said. "She had 23 [service] points tonight."
With Maki and Bowman feeding off each other and keeping the momentum high, the only thing left to do for the Cougars was to follow. Together Maki and Bowman had 23 kills, 29 digs, and 31 service points with 10 aces.
"Rachel and Tabitha control the mental part of the game for us," Meeteer said. "When they're on fire, there is no stopping we."
Like the Cougars, Meeteer had forgotten about the blemishes of Game 1.
"I don't know what happened. It just took us a while to warm up; we needed to pick up our power and our speed," Meeteer said. "I think it's hard to come back when you know as a team that you are better than that. I think my girls will be excited for Thursday."