I've covered many volleyball games, but it's hard to imagine that I'll cover a match as exciting and just flat-out crazy as Redlands East Valley's CIF II-A championship triumph over North Torrance.
The Wildcats brought home the first CIF team title in REV history Saturday night, pulling out a 21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 22-25 and 27-25 victory.
And yes the score on the last game is correct. What should have been a 15-point match turned into a match that saw 13 match points (seven for REV) and put a jam-packed Cypress College crowd into an emotional wreck.
It got to the point where you just wanted to see the game end, but you didn't want to see your team lose.
Consecuitve aces from freshman phenom Krista Vansant sealed the deal, an almost strange twist when you consider service errors plagued the Wildcats on several match points in the final game.
REV now advances to the CIF State Playoffs. They will learn their fate today with a first-round match possibly on Monday.
Here's some other quick thoughts about the match
- The MVP of the game? It would have to be a shared award amongst several REV players. Freshman Krista Vansant battled some early struggles, but carried the Wildcats in the final game with several kills and her pocket aces. Junior middle blocker Victoria Brummett was a problem all day for the Saxons, slamming down several kills and coming up with blocks in crucial moments. There was also a sturdy effort from senior Gretchen Stankey, who was a steady force in the early going and throughout the match. And then you have sophomore setter Johnna Fouch, the consistent performer and one of a few players that played the whole match.
- The winner of the crowd battle? We'll give it to North Torrance, mainly for a student section that didn't let up. I honestly think they forced a REV service error or two. And when a REV player made an error, a chant of, "back to JV" could be heard. Not too bad.
- While it's not an unknown secret. The Wildcats are a pretty young team. Before the final game started, REV fielded a lineup of one senior, two juniors, two sophomores and one freshman. The Saxons' starting six featured three seniors and three juniors.
- As amazing as the first game was, there was also REV's comeback from an 11-4 deficit in that very same game. The Wildcats didn't appear a panicked team on the court, a credit to head coach Tricia Vansant and a team confidence that has grown throughout each passing game.
- While this may not be REV related, the championship game between Mira Costa and Redondo in the neighboring gym must have been slammed. The admission line resembled a 2-hour wait at Disneyland.
- So who ended up being the mighty teams that defeated the Wildcats this season? Rancho Cucamonga was one, a 3-1 loss that many on the REV side credited for sparking the team. The other was a 2-0 setback to Norco in the semifinals of the REV Tournament. There was also a 1-1 tie against La Quinta in pool play of the REV tourney. Rancho Cucamonga was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Norco lost in the second round and La Quinta lost in the CIF Division III-A title game on Saturday.