The JV Girls Volleyball had three pre-season matches on the week of Sept 2. They opened at home with a three-set barnburner against Monte Vista on Tuesday night. The first set was one that the coaches encouraged all players to forget immediately, as the Dons fell 25-15 after establishing an early lead. But that’s when things got interesting.
In set 2, the Dons again fell behind 4-1, but came back and led 12-9 after a series of stellar serves from freshman Francesca Barbano. Monte Vista rallied with six in a row to take the lead at 15-12. The Don’s relied on the experience of their sophomores, and displayed early season grit with a long, momentum shifting rally that included a block by Devyn Murphy, and a kill by Meher Jeyarkrishnan to tie it up at 15. The teams were tied at 20. There were then 700 lead changes, numerous fainting spells in the stands, along with a few panic attacks from the coaching staff* – until there was finally a collective sigh of relief in the Chris Huber Gymnasium as Murphy served her team to victory, 29-27, setting up a 3rd set rubber match.
The Dons fell behind early in Set 3, but quickly asserted themselves. They went up 14-6 on the rock-solid serving of the poised Jeyakrishnan and closed out the set 15-9.
In their second straight night of competition, the Dons traveled to Hayward to test themselves against Moreau Catholic Mariners. Riding the momentum from the night before, the Dons ran out to a 21-14 lead. They appeared to be on their way to an easy set 1 win, when the Mariners clawed back with a 6-1 run. The Mariners tied it at 24, and again at 25. Once again, Devyn Murphy calmly served the Dons to a set 1 victory, 27-25. Set 2 was close all the way through, but the Mariners pulled away at the end to win 25-23.
We’ll never know what Coach Alan said to his team after that second set, but the Dons played inspired volleyball for the third set and shot out to a 6-1 lead. Dora Henel expanded the lead to 12-3 with six serves in a row, and the Dons handily closed out the third set with a 15-8 victory.
On Friday, the Dons crossed the Richmond Bridge, wondered how the inmates of San Quentin got such good real estate, and played the Archie Williams Falcons. The Dons traded points with the Falcons to begin the set. Devyn Murphy’s serving streak helped the team build a small lead at 15-10, and then freshman setter Dora Henel added five serves in a row to increase the lead to 20-13. Barbano once again stood out with rock solid serve receive and passing, and the Dons closed it out 25-14.
The second set brought additional back and forth. After tying in up at 14, Dora Henel again used a mix of serves and good placement to help build a 4 point lead. After the Falcons again tied the Set at 18, sophomore phenom Meher came in to crush the comeback hopes of the Falcons and served six in a row. Freshman Camille Chang closed it out with a devastating kill, and the Dons had their first 2 set victory of the pre-season.
The JV Girls Volleyball showed that they’re ready to test themselves in league play.
*Over the course of this season, this column will play fast and loose with the facts, but will always strive to be directionally accurate.
