Five-game victory may aid Hawks’ CCS playoff chances
San Juan Bautista – Although North Salinas is hardly a girls’ volleyball titan, Monday’s match pitted David against Goliath at least when considering school size. And with less than 400 students, Anzar could crow after its roller-coaster, five-game victory over a Tri-County Athletic League opponent in San Juan Bautista.
“I love beating teams like North Salinas,” Anzar co-head coach Chris Wardlaw said after his team’s 25-16, 22-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-5 win. “I love beating big schools.”
After coming out on fire, the Hawks (12-4) regressed to fall in a 1-2 hole with a lackluster showing in the third game. But just as the team had in winning a five-game showdown with Pacific Grove last week, Anzar rebounded when pushed against the wall.
Once the Hawks survived a spirited battle to narrowly take the fourth game, Wardlaw said his players just took over at crunch time in the all-important fifth game. “15-5? I mean, we just came out and slaughtered them,” he said.
Middle Christina Flores led the way for the Hawks, posting a team-high 15 kills and five blocks. Four of the junior’s blocks came in the decisive fifth game. Senior outside hitter Emily Deleissegues had 14 kills and five aces. As a team, Anzar had 18 aces on the night.
Wardlaw said the play of Flores and tall senior Jessica Staley was instrumental to the victory. “Really, it was our two middles,” the coach said. “I think our two middles are what carried us through this game, and just good team play at the end.”
Winning the atypical, non-league match in the middle of the Mission Trail Athletic League season may have significant postseason implications for the Hawks. Should Anzar finish at least second in its league – and at 6-2, the Hawks are tied for second with Santa Catalina now – it would garner an automatic bid to the Central Coast Section Division V playoffs. But should the Hawks need to compete for one of the few at-large bids, a win over an ‘A’ division team like North Salinas (2-12) hands them extra points.
The Hawks return to the court Wednesday against Santa Catalina in hopes of atoning for what Wardlaw called “our worst game of the season, by far” – a three-game sweep back on Sep. 12.
With sole possession of second place behind King City (9-0 MTAL) on the line, Wardlaw hopes his players come out focused and ready to omit the hitting errors that plagued them in the teams’ earlier match. “If we’re going to beat them,” he said, “we can’t just play an average game.”
But for one night, the Hawks were content to enjoy taking down one of the big boys.
“To be small and public are two big strikes against us,” Wardlaw concluded, “but to beat an ‘A’ league team, we get up for it for sure.”
Anzar hosts Santa Catalina at 6pm on Wednesday.
