Xavier’s
Gators!!
The team had
been a bit inconsistent down the stretch of the regular season, but still
managed to earn the No. 2 seed in the 6A Conference state tournament.
In the
quarterfinals against No. 10 seed Phoenix Pinnacle, the Gators played like the
team with which their fans had become familiar for most of the season, winning
3-1. They looked fresh, with a renewed energy.
Or, as coach
Lamar-Renee Bryant put it, “Xavier 2.0.’’
Are we now
seeing a team that can challenge for a second straight state title?
The answer
will come soon, on Monday night (Nov. 5) when Xavier faces No. 3 seed Chandler
Hamilton in a semifinal match at Gilbert Highland. Hamilton (33-9) has defeated Xavier (31-9)
three times this season, including once in the Gilbert Invitational and twice
as the Premier Region rival, the most recent on Oct. 23.
The
Xavier-Hamilton match begins at 5:45 p.m. and will be followed by the other
semi between top-seeded Gilbert Perry (32-3) and No. 4 Tempe Corona del Sol
(28-13). Semifinal winners will play for all the marbles on Wednesday night
(Nov. 7) at Arizona State’s Wells Fargo Arena.
The scores
in the win over Pinnacle were 25-18, 20-25, 25-21 and a dominant 25-9.
“We played
with more confidence,’’ Bryant said. “Our seniors knew it was going to be “go
time.’ They knew it would be their last time on this court.
“If we are
to beat teams like Hamilton and Perry (another Premier rival), we are going to
need to play more like this. We know what we have to do.’’
Xavier got
some big games from some of its seniors. Setter Kate Spellman had a fine
all-around effort with three service aces, 19 assists and 10 digs. Setter Shannon
Shields had 27 assists, libero Ashley Yeung had 22 digs and outside hitter Hayley
Nash had three service aces.
In addition,
junior middle blocker Jasmine Knight had 12 kills and five blocks, and junior outside
hitter Juli Westfall continued her late-season rise with 14 kills.
Shields honored
Shields, who
will play at Louisville starting next year, had been named to the Under Armour
Volleyball All-American Second Team, in connection with the American Volleyball
Coaches Association.
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