WILL PRACTICE MAKE PERFECT FOR TAFT? TOREADORS WORKING HARD TO WIN A TITLE.Byline: IVAN OROZCO Staff Writer ``Practice on Monday.'' The words are printed, in bold, red capital letters, on the back of white T-shirts worn during practice by the Taft High of Woodland Hills girls' volleyball team. It's more than the theme of the Toreadors' 2006 season, it's a team goal. And for coach Armen Mercado For the hispanic surname "Mercado", please see de Mercado. Mercado first originated in Spain. In English it means 'market'. Is the last name of the 'Great' Fifa Soccer player Eswold. , the goal is personal. ``If we win the City Section championship on (Nov. 14),'' Mercado said. ``We get to practice on Monday for the state playoffs. ``Those are the words I want to say to my team after taking the City championship.'' Mercado, who also coaches Taft's boys' volleyball team, is no stranger to City Section championship matches. The Toreadors' seventh-year coach is 0-6 in finals appearances. He's lost four title matches with the boys and two more with the girls, the first in 2003 and again last year against San Pedro. Taft's girls were the only City team to win a game against San Pedro last season, but Mercado wasn't satisfied. ``I think we'll get over the hump hump (hump) a rounded eminence. dowager's hump popular name for dorsal kyphosis caused by multiple wedge fractures of the thoracic vertebrae seen in osteoporosis. ,'' Mercado said. ``I can't wait to get there. We're not expecting it, but we want it. ``There are a lot of teams on our schedule, but we're hoping to play San Pedro again. It's a tough league, and the playoffs are tough. We'll have a target on our backs On Our Backs (ISSN 0890-2224) was the first women-run erotica magazine and the first magazine to feature lesbian erotica for a lesbian audience in the United States. .'' Taft and San Pedro are favorites to meet again in this year's City final. San Pedro returns City Player of the Year Samantha Taylor Samantha Taylor (born 1958) was the host of the CBC Television music video program Video Hits from 1984 to 1989. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, as Myroslava Lastivka Lydia Luciw. Her family moved to Pennsylvania when she was three. , a senior setter setter: see sporting dog. setter Any of three breeds derived from a medieval hunting dog that would set (lie down) when it found birds so that it and the birds could be covered with a net. Setters have long hair on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. , senior middle blocker Alex Bubica and junior outside hitter Shannon Miller Shannon Lee Miller (b. March 10, 1977 in Rolla, Missouri) is an artistic gymnast from Edmond, Oklahoma. She has earned 7 Olympic Medals and 9 World Championship Medals since her Elite International debut in 1990. She is the most decorated gymnast, male or female, in U.S. history. . Taft returns four All-City players: senior setter Terry Soltani, senior middle blocker Savannah Savannah, city, United States Savannah, city (1990 pop. 137,560), seat of Chatham co., SE Ga., a port of entry on the Savannah River near its mouth; inc. 1789. Thomas, senior outside hitter Jessica Duran and senior middle blocker/opposite Tatiana Hithe. ``I was devastated dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. ,'' Soltani said about losing to San Pedro in the final. ``I was crying a river. We want it so much. We worked our (butts) off every single day of practice. We'll do whatever it takes this year.'' The Toreadors graduated libero Libero can refer to:
Kiara John-Charles, a standout outside hitter on last year's junior varsity team For the American rock band, see . In sports, usually at the high school and college levels, members of a team who are not the main players in a competition (such as a football or basketball game) are called junior varsity players. , replaces Ignacio at libero. Middle blockers Samantha Potter, Kiana Johnson and Fallon Shah will provide additional options in Taft's rotation and are expected to compete for starting positions. Soltani is Taft's core; Mercado considers her the top setter in the City. ``Terry is the best setter, but the best overall volleyball player is Samantha Taylor of San Pedro,'' Mercado said. ``(Terry) has always understood the game, but she took that to the next level this year with hard work and dedication this offseason.'' Taft had a summer with strong and lengthy workouts that included several two-a-day practices between June 1 and Aug. 13 inside a boiling Taft gymnasium. Mercado said temperatures might have reached close to 100 degrees. But to the Toreadors, sweating it out in a hot gym is necessary to reach their goal. ``During practice, these girls go as hard as possible,'' Mercado said. ``They made a pact to commit to this team. They cancel doctor appointments and call out of work for volleyball. These girls don't miss practice.'' Even on Mondays. ivan.orozco@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo, 3 boxes Photo: (color) From left, Tatiana Hithe, Terry Soltani and Savannah Thomas are returning all-City volleyball players This is a list of top international volleyball players. : Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A
Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer Box: (1) TOP 10 (2) 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH (3) 5 MATCHES TO WATCH - Erik Boal |
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