San Benito defeated Grass Valley in five games
San Benito now stands just one win away from a spot in the CIF State Volleyball Championship game after the ‘Balers outlasted Nevada Union in an epic five-game battle Saturday.
“It was a wild one and I think one of the most exciting matches I’ve ever coached,” San Benito coach Dean Askanas said.
Facing the host and No. 2 seeded Miners, the ‘Balers twice fell behind in the match, but rallied to win the final two games to take the match and advance to the Northern California finals.
“The whole team just played great, they just gave it all they got,” Askanas said. “It’s just so exciting to go into their house and do it. The whole stands were full. It was so loud that in the time outs I had to pull them in and talk at the top of my lungs.”
The ‘Balers dropped a close first game 25-23, but rebounded to win the second game by the same score.
The Miners took a two games to one advantage with a 25-20 win in the third game, but San Benito responded with its best game of the night, earning a 25-16 win in the fourth game.
At the start of the decisive fifth game, things appeared to be going Nevada Union’s way as it built an early 5-1 lead.
The ‘Balers called a time out and it worked. San Benito chipped away at the lead, finally tied it up, and Emily Kortsen finished off a game-winning 14-7 run with one of her 30 kills to earn a 15-12 win.
Bri Romero had a team-high 29 digs for the ‘Balers and Askanas credited her with helping keep them in the game.
“Bri made some incredible incredible saves to keep us in the match,” he said.
Romero and O’Laughlin were second on the team behind Kortsen with 13 kills and senior setter Chelsea Fowles had 50 assists and 10 kills.
“It was just a great team effort,” Askanas said. “There were just a lot of great rallies and battles.”
San Benito now travels to Pleasanton at 7pm today to take on top-seeded Foothill, the undefeated champions of the North Coast Section.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Askanas said. “Obviously, they’re very good to be 36-0.”
The winner plays in the state title game at 5pm Saturday at San Jose State’s Event Center against the winner of the Southern California championship game between La Costa Canyon and Los Alamitos.
