State Women's Volleyball Quarterfinal #2: Lundberg, Ennis Key SD Mesa's 4-set triumph over Fresno
S1 San Diego Mesa (30-1) d. N4 Fresno City (26-6), 3-1, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, 26-24
Fresno finishes in a fifth place tie at state
FOLSOM -- Two veteran teams with vast state tourney experience got together for a classic as South #1 seed San Diego Mesa prevailed in four sets over North #4 Fresno City in the second quarterfinal of the 3C2A State Women's Volleyball Championships on Friday. The Olympians stretched the state's current longest win streak, now at 27.
The duo of Second Team All-American outside hitter Mia Lundberg and All-SoCal setter Ruby Ennis were as advertised as Lundberg crushed 24 kills in 54 swings and added 12 digs while Ennis dished out 44 assists, dumped four kills, made 12 digs, two blocks and landed two aces. Bella Town added 10 kills with four blocks and Eva Luna was a key player as well with seven kills and 15 digs. Isabella Barrios added six kills and five blocks.
In the opening set, Mesa opened a 12-7 lead, but Fresno tied it at 14-14, with both teams trading points until the Olympians got a kill by Town and a stuff by Barrios and Ennis for a 23-20 advantage. A kill by Luna and a Rams attack error gave Mesa the 1-0 sets lead.
The teams again traded volleys throughout set #2 with Karina Rodriguez blasting a kill, followed by an ace by Taygan Rocco for an 18-16 FCC lead. The Rams closed out a 9-3 run getting an overpass kill and block by Jayla Iversen, then a Mesa service error to tied the match at 1-1. Iversen scored five attack kills and two block assists in that game (finished with six kills).
The Olympians grabbed a 2-1 sets lead, jumping ahead by as much as 21-11 on a kill by Luna and inspired by two kills and two blocks off the bench by Charlotte Underwood. But Mesa service woes (three errrors) and then four Fresno aces, two by Haiden Davis, kept the Rams in the set. In the end, Lundberg drilled her seventh kill of the set to seal it for Mesa.
In the fourth, Fresno stayed tough and tied it 12-12 on a solo block by Rodriguez. In an intense long rally, Town gave Mesa a 14-13 advantage on a cross court kill. The teams battled with Jadyn DeRuiter serving an ace that put the Rams at set point, 24-23. But after a timeout, Mesa scored the final three points, including a down-the-line kill from Luna and an ace by Sneha Lee. An attack error ended the thriller and the Fresno season.
"Lundberg and Ennis have been clutch for us all season and today was no different," said Mesa head coach Bobbie Jo Stall-Vest. "We have so much respect for Fresno and how well they are coached. We had to overcame our serving errors (14 to just four by Fresno) and then we played steady and remained patient. We got back to our serve and pass game at the end."
For the Rams, Third Team All-American Davis scored 12 kills while Kailani Soares missed by one kill of a triple double as she finished with nine kills, 17 assists, and 14 digs. Rodriguez chipped in seven kills, 13 digs, three aces and three blocks (two solos).
"We just didn't pass well," said FCC head coach Kieran Roblee. "It was our achilles heel. San Diego Mesa played a great match and were steady and balanced. I think our sophomores in particular showed some of our freshmen what it takes to be ready for the state tournament. We were ready and prepared for this state match and I'm proud of our efforts."
Mesa will face South #3 Santa Monica, a winner over Taft, in the state semifinals on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA/3C2A State Tournament SID