Despite an unbelievable, momentum-earning dig by Alex Flores
that staked Anzar to a 19-15 lead in the fourth set, Santa Catalina
marched right back to knot it at 20-all before outlasting the Hawks
in four games, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22.
WATSONVILLE
With Anzar trailing Santa Catalina two sets to one on Saturday in the Central Coast Section Division V Championships, Game 4 appeared to be a mere formality.
After all, in two matches between Anzar and Santa Catalina during Mission Trail Athletic League play this season, the two teams battled to five sets each time. And with the Hawks leading the fourth set 19-15 on Saturday, it appeared the two teams would play a fifth set once again.
“I really thought we were,” Anzar head coach Chris Wardlaw said. “But nerves …”
Despite an unbelievable, momentum-gaining dig by Alex Flores that staked Anzar to a 19-15 lead in the fourth set, Santa Catalina marched right back to knot it at 20-all before outlasting the Hawks in four games, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22.
A fifth set was not necessary.
“I thought we had it,” Wardlaw said after the Hawks controlled a late lead in Game 4. “But we just didn’t make a play at the net.”
The loss ends Anzar’s season at 16-10 overall, while No. 4 Santa Catalina (17-10) advances to Thursday’s semifinal round against top-seeded Castilleja (26-8), which swept past Alma Heights on Saturday.
Although the Hawks returned to the Division V postseason for the first time since 2008, Saturday’s match was the last for seven seniors, including defensive specialist Carly Johnson, who finished with a team-high 20 digs Saturday.
“I was just thinking about that right now,” said Johnson, some 10 minutes after Catalina earned match point with a service ace. “I’m just in shock right now. It doesn’t seem like it’s over.
“It’s tough.”
Anzar entered confident it could earn the rubber match with Santa Catalina after splitting the season series. In both previous matches, the Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Catalina came back to tie it.
On Saturday, it was all too similar, as Anzar earned the first set, 25-16.
“They’ve started out slow the last two times we’ve played them,” Wardlaw said. “They’ve started slow and then they make the defensive adjustments.
“We hit hard, but we hit to our usual spots and they were waiting for them.”
For the first time this season, Catalina won the second set, 25-18.
The Cougars controlled a late lead in the third set as well when Anzar began to chip away. But leading 22-20, Catalina’s Claire Bozzo delivered a kill that, although was blocked at the net, rolled along the top of the net before dropping out of bounds.
Point Catalina.
Anzar’s Flores tacked on two late kills of her own, eventually cutting Catalina’s lead to 23-22, but a service error by the Hawks pushed the Cougars further ahead, while Annie Aldrete finished the set with a service ace.
“We didn’t have that killer instinct all the time,” Johnson said.
And in the fourth set, Anzar just couldn’t put it away, despite carrying all the momentum after one key play.
Leading 18-15 late, Anzar appeared it would be unable to return a hit from Catalina, as the ball started to sail out of bounds after Anzar’s second hit of the volley.
But Flores lunged to the ball and made a diving dig out of bounds at the last second, somehow launching the volleyball over to the Cougars’ side of the net in the process. The ball even dropped for a point after Catalina began celebrating, figuring Flores had no chance to make a save.
The last-ditch effort by the junior outside hitter extended Anzar’s lead to 19-15, and ignited the Hawks bench into a frenzy.
But a kill by Catalina’s Katie Griffith, a net foul on Anzar and a hitting error by the Hawks erased any and all momentum. Three consecutive kills later by Lauren Bishop, Sage Wright and Chase LeeHong vaulted the Cougars to a 21-20 lead, and Anzar was never able to reclaim the cushion it once had.
“It’s hard to coach that because you can’t put that in practice,” Wardlaw said of the nerves his team showed in Game 4.
Normally able to feed off its big hitter, Wardlaw added, Flores was moved to the back row late in Game 4. She finished with a match-high 25 kills, nevertheless.
“I think we lost one point. And then it’s the nerves. You get that feeling,” Johnson said. “It’s that fight. You have to want it.”
Brittany Hogeman finished with eight kills for Anzar, while Sydnee Masuen compiled 25 assists and two aces, and Jessica Frusetta had nine digs.
Jessica Stofer had three solo blocks.
Catalina’s offense was much more spread out, with LeeHong leading the way with seven kills. Bozzo and Bishop both added six kills apiece, while Bozzo added four service aces.
Lizzie Tardieu had 27 digs and 25 assists for Catalina, which will play Castilleja on Thursday night at Alma Heights High School.
“We just couldn’t pull it out,” Johnson said. “But I’m still proud of everybody.”
TEAM 1 2 3 4
ANZ 25 18 22 22
SNC 16 25 25 25
