Five sets, disputed calls, long points and a ruckus crowd. It
had all the makings of a playoff game and then some.
The Gavilan College women’s volleyball team fought back time and
time again but couldn’t shake a crafty and quick Diablo Valley
squad, losing a dramatic five-set marathon (19-25, 26-24, 18-25,
25-23, 13-15) in the first round of the California Community
College Athletic Association’s regional playoffs on Tuesday night
in Gilroy.
GILROY
Five sets, disputed calls, long points and a ruckus crowd. It had all the makings of a playoff game and then some.
The Gavilan College women’s volleyball team fought back time and time again but couldn’t shake a crafty and quick Diablo Valley squad, losing a dramatic five-set marathon (19-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-23, 13-15) in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association’s regional playoffs on Tuesday night in Gilroy.
“It was a battle, but unfortunately we came out of it on the wrong end,” third-year head coach Kevin Kramer said. “We were fighting from behind all match and we didn’t have the last little push to get over the hump.”
The Rams (17-7) had to immediately scramble for points after falling behind 6-1 in the fifth. They began to chip away at the deficit, with sophomore Cheyenne Hambey knocking down two straight points, one via a kill and another off a block.
The Rams inched closer as sophomores Tessa Fischer and Bri Romero powered down points to narrow the gap to just one point at 8-7. Four exchanges later, Gavilan tied the game, then took the lead at 10-9.
The intensity continued to mount as the two teams traded one-point leads.
After a crucial kill from Hambey, the Rams held serve at 13-13.
“I’m so glad that we battled through and had it at 13-13,” sophomore outside hitter Arica Hernandez said. “We all wanted it really bad.”
However, a double-hit error and a kill effort into the net brought the match to an abrupt halt and gave the visiting Vikings the win and a trip to the second round.
“Hambey got the big kill and I thought we had the momentum there,” Kramer said. “We just came up a little short.”
The Rams came out a bit out of sync in the opening set. Perhaps it was playoff jitters, or just a forgettable game, but they found themselves down 1-0 in the match.
“We found out who we were playing Saturday night and it is difficult to prepare for a team in one practice,” sophomore outside hitter Bri Romero said. “I guess we kinda came out a little slow in the beginning. You have to credit that team. They did what they had to do.”
Sensing some desperation, the Rams came out with a bit more earnest as spikes seemed to gain some power and shots began to find the open floor.
With the second set knotted at 24-24, a Vikings’ unforced error gave the Rams an opportunity to serve for the win. Hernandez didn’t let the opportunity slip away as she closed out the set with a cross-court kill.
Despite the two teams playing even midway through the third set, the Vikings seized momentum with the score at 15-15, using a 10-3 run to close out the game and again leave the Rams faced with a must-win situation.
“There’s no giving up ever,” Romero said. “You play to the last point and that’s what we did.”
The Rams survived the fourth set and put themselves in position to advance, but they ran out of steam in the end.
Nonetheless, it was a memorable season for Kramer and his team. They became the first volleyball team in program history to win a conference championship and qualify for the playoffs.
“The group of kids we had this year and the support of the fans and the other athletes on campus is what made the season,” Kramer said.
