Teams will close out league season this week
Local high school volleyball teams are in the final stretch in their respective divisional schedules this week, with both Analy and El Molino well positioned to land at-large berths in the North Coast Section playoffs.
The Analy Tigers (5-3, 12-10) enter their final week of league play in the Oak Division tied for second place, closing out the regular season with scheduled matches at Montgomery (Oct. 16, after press time) and Santa Rosa (Oct. 18).
The Tigers are a good bet to land a spot in the NCS Division 3 tournament, which starts next week.
Analy began its latest stretch at home on Senior Night on Oct. 9, honoring graduating veterans Claire Rudderow (4-year varsity player), Jalynn Serpa (4-year varsity player) and Merritt Taggart (3-year varsity player) before taking the court against Maria Carrillo.
The Tigers were up to the challenge, outlasting the Pumas in four hard-fought sets: 18-25, 25-8, 25-12, 25-23. Pacing the attack were Rudderow (16 kills, 20 digs, 2 aces), Serpa (7 kills, 2 aces) and Sara Davidson (4 aces, 11 digs).
The Tigers paid Windsor a visit two nights later, again overcoming a slow start in dropping the opening set to sweep the next three games: 20-25, 25-13, 25-12, 25-20. Statistical leaders included Rudderow (15 kills, 21 digs), Taggart (10 kills), Kenzie Carter (4 aces) and Maddie Windsor (27 assists, 11 digs, 2 aces).
Lions poised for playoffs
The Lions (5-3, 18-12) have also enjoyed a strong campaign competing in the NBL Redwood Division, having to overcome illness and injuries to key players late in the season.
El Molino ventured north to first-place Ukiah on Oct. 9, winning the first two sets, 25-22, 26-24 before dropping the next three games: 10-25, 20-25, 9-15.
Junior all-league Kassidy Sani, who returned to the line-up after an illness last week, sat out the last three games after not feeling well.
“After that we fell apart,” El Mo coach Becky Sani noted. “Their middle hitter took advantage of the lack of blocking and racked up the kills in game three and four. In game five we battled to the end, but we just didn’t come home with the win. That was a heart wrenching loss for us,” she added.
El Molino played host to an improved Healdsburg squad on Oct. 11, fighting off every challenge to win in four sets: 25-15, 25-17, 21-25, 25-15.
“We served really well and worked our offense,” Becky Sani noted. “I was able to try out a few new lineups that worked really well.”
Stat leaders for the Lions were Sasha Senal (19 kills, 2 aces, 5 digs), Yasmin Sierra (5 kills, 3 aces), Grace Anderson (13 digs), Kassidy Sani (7 kills, 5 aces, 11 digs, 13 assists) and Grace McCormick (7 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces, 17 assists).
On Saturday, the Lions competed in the Nor Cal Tournament in Novato, defeating NCS Division 4 teams St. Patrick/St. Vincent (2-1) and McKinleyville (2-1). El Mo’s lone loss came against Division 3 Tamalpais (0-3).
The Lions will close out the regular season against Elsie Allen (Oct. 16) and at Piner (Oct. 18). Both varsity matches start at 6 p.m. The Lions are a virtual lock to compete in the NCS Division 4 playoffs next week.
