Romero’s injury huge factor in loss
They were on the road and beating the undefeated, top-seeded
team from Northern California 2-1 in games in the semifinals of the
California Interscholastic Federation State Volleyball
Championships on Tuesday night in Pleasanton when the San Benito
High School girls volleyball team’s momentum suddenly came to
screeching halt.
That dramatic momentum shift occurred midway through the fourth
game when junior outside hitter Bri Romero
– who led the team this season in digs, was second in kills and
third in aces, assists and service points – had to leave the game
after suffering a major injury.
Romero’s injury huge factor in loss
They were on the road and beating the undefeated, top-seeded team from Northern California 2-1 in games in the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation State Volleyball Championships on Tuesday night in Pleasanton when the San Benito High School girls volleyball team’s momentum suddenly came to screeching halt.
That dramatic momentum shift occurred midway through the fourth game when junior outside hitter Bri Romero – who led the team this season in digs, was second in kills and third in aces, assists and service points – had to leave the game after suffering a major injury.
“It was a knee injury. She might have torn her ACL. We don’t know yet. She just came down wrong on her foot,” Baler Head Coach Dean Askanas said after the game. “I’m very pleased with how the season went overall, but when you come this close and lose it really hurts.”
The Balers lost the five-game match by scores of 21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23, and 15-12.
Afterwards, there wasn’t a dry eye on the Balers’ bench.
“The team took it really hard. It’s just too bad. I really think we would have beaten them had that injury not occurred,” Askanas said.
Had the Central Coast Section Champion Balers, which were seeded No. 3 in Northern California in the tournament, beaten Foothill High School they would have faced Southern California’s Los Alamitos High School for the state championship tomorrow at San Jose State University.
Los Alamitos, which was the No. 2 seed in the Southern California bracket, earned its trip to the finals by ousting top-seeded La Costa Canyon.
Without Romero in the lineup, Askanas was forced to go to his bench in game four where he opted to put junior Carly Lerma in Romero’s slot on the floor when the team was on defense. He replaced Lerma with sophomore Megan Halstead when Romero’s position rotated to the front row.
“I just want to say that both of them did a great, great job tonight,” Askanas said.
At the time Romero left the game she had three kills to her credit, but her absence played a major role in the team’s overall karma.
“Her defense is really the big difference. She plays such awesome defense. And offensively, she keeps the ball in play and makes smart kills,” Askanas said.
Last year, the Balers lost to Carlmont in the CCS finals, which seemed to make them even more motivated this year to win it all, and they did when they ousted Homestead in the finals, earning San Benito High its first-ever section volleyball title.
Next year, they are expected to have that same kind of drive – only this time the goal will be to win state.
“We’re only graduating three players this year,” Askanas said. “I really think we’ll be excellent next year and we should make a strong run at winning the Nor Cal title.”
Despite the loss, junior Emily Kortsen had a huge night and led the team with 29 kills. Senior Chelsea Fowles led the Balers in both aces and assists.
