Trailing 13-8 in the fifth and deciding game Wednesday, the San
Benito Haybalers did what they have seemingly done countless times
this season: With their backs to the wall, they pushed back.
Trailing 13-8 in the fifth and deciding game Wednesday, the San Benito Haybalers did what they have seemingly done countless times this season: With their backs to the wall, they pushed back.
Battling adversity as well as the No. 3 Carlmont Scots (22-12) in the semifinals of the Central Coast Section Girls Volleyball Championships at Santa Clara High School, the No. 2 Lady ‘Balers came within two points of being upset.
Instead, they roared back to the tune of an 18-16 fifth-game win, and stole a CCS championship bid away from Carlmont in five games (25-23, 22-25, 25-16, 12-25, 18-16).
San Benito’s Emily Kortsen had a match-high 32 kills on the night and Bri Romero added 15 to punch San Benito’s ticket to Saturday night’s championship match against Homestead.
Top-seeded Homestead beat No. 4 Salinas in a rather convincing three games (25-18, 25-17, 25-15) earlier on Wednesday, and will take on San Benito at 7 p.m. at Independence High School.
Come Saturday night, though, the Lady ‘Balers may still be on a high from Wednesday’s victory over Carlmont.
“We just came out knowing that this is not our last game,” Romero said. “All our heart was in it, and it was from everyone … every single player.”
The Lady ‘Balers took a 2-1 lead, but after Carlmont’s Justine Record (21 kills) led the Scots at the service line with three aces and 10 straight points in the fourth game, Carlmont forced a deciding fifth game.
And with steady leads of two and three points, the Scots opened a 13-8 cushion on San Benito in the fifth, only to see it vanish into a 13-13 tie.
“Even though we were down, we did not want our season to end,” Kortsen said. “We were scared at first, but we realized that if we’re scared, we won’t be able to win.
“We had nothing to lose at that point. It’s now or never.”
The two teams tied at 14, 15 and 16 points a piece until Ali Sharp provided the go-ahead kill and an attempted hit from Carlmont’s Colleen Garrett went into the net, icing yet another come-from-behind victory for San Benito.
The Lady ‘Balers had similar games this season against Gilroy and Notre Dame where a comeback was needed. Although it’s not the recommended approach to winning, coach Dean Askanas believes those come-from-behind victories earlier this year helped on Wednesday.
“We know we can do it. I think it probably keeps them calm,” Askanas said. “But my fear is that they can be too calm. You can’t do that on Saturday.”
Lack of fear may have helped San Benito, but Carlmont coach Ricky A. Villareal said his Scots may have battled nerves on Wednesday as well.
“I think we all played well. We had a game plan to be strong and powerful and aggressive in the beginning … but I thought they were tentative a little bit,” Villareal said. “But the ‘Balers played really well and they kept pounding on us.
“The one thing about the ‘Balers is that they just don’t quit. I thought they were having fun. They were relaxed.”
Askanas said he was surprised of the comeback his players made against a formidable Carlmont, and called his team’s performance “gutsy.”
Nevertheless, players and coach alike know that comebacks will be hard to come by against No. 1 Homestead on Saturday.
“We’re really up for the championship, now,” Kortsen said. “We’re definitely prepared.”
