Hollis Brookline, Bishop Guertin advance to D1 girls volleyball final
DERRY- Saturday’s rematch will have more narrative than just a state title battle for the Hollis Brookline and Bishop Guertin high school girls volleyball teams.
After both teams won in the semifinals, they’ll have a chance to play for the second time this season, and in the final for the second time in three years. HB beat Guertin in that 2015 final and the first time around this year, but the Cards did something that only two other teams have done; beat the Cavaliers in a set.
The Cavaliers dropped a set on Tuesday night’s semifinal match against Dover, but rallied to win the next three and pull out the 3-1 win while remaining undefeated.
“Every match in Division I is a battle,” said Cavs coach Becky Belfour. “You get down to 20 teams and you see this level.”
HB lost sets in the season to Guertin, Salem, and now for the first time, Dover, who played a strong game overall before the Cavs became too much to handle.
After the Green Wave surged in the opening set, the Cavs took control, struggling through the second set to win and then overpowering in the third and fourth, taking big leads and not looking back. Scores were 16-25, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-15.
“I felt like the second half of the first game we began to settle in,” said Belfour. “Unfortunately they had too much of a lead that we couldn’t catch up. We settled in and got our groove back in the second game.”
On the other side, the Cardinals were able to sweep Nashua South 3-0. Those sets weren’t without contest, however, as the Panthers pushed the Cards to their max. Scores were 25-22, 25-16 and 25-14.
It’s been a tight playoff for the Cardinals, and this was their first sweep to advance to the next round.
It took streaks of five, six, and eight points in a row in the respective three sets for the green and gold to find their way to victory.
“I think it got us more pumped up knowing we’re ahead by so much,” said senior Paola Matos. “It keeps us excited and not down. As a team, we work so hard together to get points, so we’re so happy for each other.”
Matos led the way with 10 digs to power the Cardinals squad that has just three seniors. It was a strong defensive effort overall by Matos and her fellow Cards to not only assist the team in their point streaks, but keeping the Panthers from upping their own point total.
Now, the Cardinals have a chance to play for a title after losing in the championship game two years ago. That loss? To none other than the same Cavaliers they will see on Saturday.
“I’m speechless,” said Bishop Guertin coach Abby Savard. “I’m so proud of the girls. It’s an indescribable feeling. I’m speechless. It’s unbelievable.”
