Acalanes JV Girls Volleyball sent Campolindo packing Tuesday, defeating the Cougars 25-12, 16-25, 15-13.  In game one, the Lady Dons took the lead right from the first point and never gave it up.  Service aces from Rachael Cox, Joanna Harnish, Danielle Grobeck, and Julia Amaral pounded the opposing side while kills from Sarah Rogers, Cox, Amy Thomas, and Grobeck pushed the Cougars back on their heels.  Nothing got past the Dons defense with Josie Mueller, Natalie Goepel and Rogers holding a tight back line.  Harnish made extra effort look effortless with a beautiful pancake save keeping the point alive…and eventually won.  Front line blocks from Thomas, Cox and Grobeck left not doubt who would win.  Three final serves from Amaral, the last two aces, sealed the deal.
The Cougars would not, however, go quietly into that good night.  They threw everything they had at the Lady Dons and some incredible, extended rallies made for nervous parents.  Acalanes battled well with service aces from Cox and Thomas, blocks from Jen Lincoln and Grobeck and kills from Rogers, Cox and Sophia Takashima.  But, in the end, the Cougars took the set, evening the score.
Game three was all Dons.  The Cougars won the coin toss and opted to serve, but lost the point.  Amaral proceeded to fire in seven serves in a row, six of them aces, before Campolindo got to try again.  They tried, but the Dons were not going to be denied their victory.  Kills by Blair Howard, Lincoln, Goepel, and Thomas sent that message loud and clear.  Service aces were also offered up by Harnish and Thomas.  The back line became a brick wall with Mueller and Goepel on guard.  Attempts by Campo to score on a kill were blocked by Howard, Lincoln, Takashima and Cox.  Some spectacular saves by Grobeck and Amaral reinforced the team’s determination to win.  At game point, with a diversionary call by Grobeck and a nice set by Harnish, Thomas fired in the last shot, ending the match 15-13.

L. Amaral