Acalanes Ladies Varsity Volleyball: Dons vs Cougars at Campo

Tuesday evening 10/11, Campo hosted the Dons in Moraga. The Acalanes Frosh and JV teams set the bar high, both defeating the Cougars handily on their home turf!

The Varsity Dons started off with all hands on deck, strong service from senior setter Mara Korzeniowska & Jade Profilio, as well as kills by Hageboeck, Walton, Jones, Olin, & Paul. Great saves & ups by Profilio, Koreniowska, & Hageboeck added to the Dons strength, along with solid serves from Mason, Jones, Winkles, & dumps over the net by Korzeniowska. Unfortunately the Dons couldn’t catch the Cougars who finished set #1, 25 – 15. 
Highlights from set 2 included great ups from our defense in the back row, lead by senior Lyanne Wang, with counterpart juniors Mika Bocobo & Jade Profilio. Bocobo, Profilio, & Hageboeck delivered impressive serves; kills & blocks across the front row were delivered by Jones, Olin, Paul & Hageboeck. Once again the Dons weren’t able to catch the Cougs who finished set #2, 25 – 17.
Set 3 started with renewed energy by the Dons who seemed committed to turning the match around! Service runs by Mason & Olin, along with kills & blocks by Hageboeck, Mason, Olin, & Walton helped the Dons take the lead from the start. Defense held tight with digs by Profilio, Wang, & Olin, more kills by Walton, Hageboeck & Paul kept the lead at 21 – 15. It was neck & neck up until the finish, the Dons narrowly missing the win, Cougars 26 – Dons 24.
SHOW UP Thurs 10/13 @ home…Acalanes VS Northgate: Frosh @ 4pm, JV @ 5pm, & Varsity @ 6:30pm+ THINK PINK BREAST CANCER AWARENESS BAKE SALE!!!

JV Girls Vball move to 19-1 after rematch with rival Campolindo

Looking to stay unbeaten in league, our Lady Dons traveled up the road to Moraga to face a familiar foe and rival, Campolindo.  Although it was close throughout both sets, Acalanes proved to have more talent and determination than the Cougars.

In set one, Rena Liu started it off with a sweet ace.  Kylah Fox, who had a monster game in Set 1 and Set 2, crushed a kill.  Piper Coy hammered a kill through an attempted block by the Cougars that gained a point for the good side.  Milan Maycock continued her amazing serving to help increase the lead.  Campbell Evans also contributed mightily with her trademark serves.  Annie Baker finished off set 1, 25-20 with a massive kill that gave us momentum heading into set 2.

Set 2 proved to be a tougher test for our Lady Dons.  We got down early 3-9.  Never one to panic, the team roared back.  Stella Larkin had some pinpoint serves to help change the tide.  Piper had another massive kill.  Addi Ames had a fabulous roof block to continue the comeback.  Kylah had 3 more kills in Set 2 that really brought the house down.  Fiona Roux also helped the cause with her awesome serves.  Addi Ames crushed a kill to give Acalanes a 24-23 lead and set up match point for the Dons.  With a 25-23 set two win, the Lady Dons take the game and look to stay undefeated in league play with 3 games left.  Go Dons!

Freshman Girls Volleyball Bags the Cougars in Three Set Win

The Dons rolled into Campolindo High School looking to even the score.  Two weeks ago the Dons lost to the Cougars at home, in a close match where the Dons took the first set handily only to see the final two sets slip away. Warm-ups set the tone. The energy was high. The music loud. Game on…

Set #1: Dons lose 16-25

The Dons quickly found themselves down 1-4 as they tried to settle into a rhythm.  Ellie Blanchard righted the ship with three straight service points, including two aces, giving the Dons a 5-4 lead.  Juliana Harhay had two big kills on the net and Sela Sarbiewski’s kill saw the Dons down 12-14, but the offense seemed to stall out and it wasn’t long before they trailed 12-20.

Reese Westhpal had two service points and teamed up with Ellie for a great save early in the match, but the Dons had dug themselves too big a hole to mount a comeback, losing 16-25.

Set #2: Dons win 25-17

Sydney Graves drew first blood as she opened with a service point but it wasn’t long before the Dons found themselves trailing 1-5 and the mood seemed to suggest this set would look much like the first. Sela and Veronica Flint provided early kills as the Dons began chipping away at the Cougar’s lead, eventually tying the score 8-8.  Grace Hayes suited up as libero (welcome back Grace!) and provided excellent passing throughout the match as the Dons contested every point in this one.

Ellie came to the service line with the score tied 12-12 and rattled off three points, prompting the Campo coach to call time out.  Ellie was unphased by the interruption as she continued her strong serving and wasn’t finished until the Dons had a healthy 17-12 lead.  The Dons did not relent as Sela served for three more service points and Sydney set up Maggie Krackeler for a powerful kill that put the Dons up 21-14.  Juliana had two more kills late in the match, dominating the net as the Dons kept the pressure on.  The match concluded with Maya Stafford setting up Ellie for a beautiful cross-court kill, Dons win 25-17.

Set #3: Dons win 15-9

The momentum had definitely shifted in the Dons favor but as your correspondent has come to realize this season, momentum is just that and can smile on the other team before you know it.

The Dons made an early statement as Sydney set up Ellie for a powerful kill, followed by her two service points, Dons up 3-0. Veronica’s cross court kill put the Dons up 4-2 and the Cougars called time out after Sela’s service ace increased the Dons’ lead to 5-2.

The Cougars fought back but the Dons did a good job of never letting them take control of the set.  Almost every point was closely contested with Audrey Martin, Juliana and Maggie providing strong offense for the Dons. Maya set up Brooke Rardin to widen the Dons’ lead 8-5 and Phoebe Gerlings’ great save led to a Sela kill that put the Dons up 12-8.

In a night where the Cougars seemed to have a sixth sense for putting the ball just inside the line the game ended in similar fashion.  Campo served down 9-14 and after some back and forth Grace raced after a ball near the line and then put her hands over her head and got out the way. The Dons fans began to groan as we’d seen that movie before but Grace knew what she was doing as the ball landed wide of the line, Dons win 15-9!

Congratulations to the team and Coach Roman Seguerre on a great come-from-behind win!