Xavier Prep’s Gators saw a snowball sitting at the top of the hill on Tuesday (Nov. 17), and somebody pushed it.
Bigger and
faster it came, and it became apparent that the Gators would not be able to
stop it.
Gilbert
Perry has been that dominant with the volleyball teams it has played during
this unprecedented season that was filled with uncertainty due to the Covid-19
virus.
Perry, the
defending 6A Conference runner-up, was 16-0 entering the quarterfinal game
against the Premier Region rival Gators, and by the end of the evening was 17-0
after a 3-0 sweep, its third sweep of Xavier this season and 13th
sweep overall.
Quarterfinal
scores were 25-12, 25-13 and 25-21.
The
top-seeded Pumas will go on to play again at home in a semifinal match on
Thursday night (Nov. 19) against No. 4 Mesa Mountain View. Second-seeded
Chandler Hamilton will play host to No. 11 Phoenix Sunnyslope in the other
semi, and the winners will meet for the state title on Saturday night (Nov. 21)
at Gilbert Mesquite.
Xavier
finished 10-7.
“They
(Perry) were a little more on their game than we were and that made it
difficult for us to do much of anything,’’ said Xavier Coach Lamar-Renee
Bryant.
It was duck
and cover for the Gators in the first two games as powerful Perry smashed kill
shot after kill shot. Xavier played better in Game 3, perhaps even dreaming of
forcing a Game 4. However, those thoughts were fleeting.
Perry racked
up Game 1 with a service ace and two blocks on defense. Game 2 ended in similar
fashion. With the score 24-20 in Game 3, the Pumas gave XCP an opening with a
long serve, but came back to clinch the match with one final kill shot.
Bryant
expressed admiration for her three senior players – outside hitter Zaira Reyes,
middle blocker Phoebe Lewis and team captain Kaori Robertson, the libero.
“It is tough
for the seniors, but we (coaches) appreciate everything they have done for
us,’’ Bryant said. “With the curriculum we have at Xavier, it is difficult to
be a student sometimes, and to be a student-athlete makes it all the more
challenging.
“And we are
super proud of everyone. We have been living in uncertain times, but we are
fortunate to have stayed healthy and safe. Above all, we were grateful to our
administration for allowing us to even have a season.’’
It is hoped
that a solid group of underclassmen will return in 2021-22. They are current
juniors Tiffany Tellez, Emma Soderstrom, Bella Sinacori, Hannah Ulisch and
Alexa Shiner. Current sophomores are Mei Tsou, Kate Tax and Lauren Vanderwey,
and Finley Workman is the current freshman.
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