Despite losing in four games to Santa Catalina on Monday, a loss that eliminated the Hawks from a Central Coast Section bid, the Anzar High girls volleyball team rebounded to win its final two games of the season this week, including a sweep of Soledad Tuesday and a five-game victory over Catalina on Thursday night.
"As of Monday, we were out of CCS," Anzar head coach Jennifer Daughenbaugh said. "But they didn't let that affect them at all."
The Hawks end their season at 6-8 in the Mission Trail Athletic League, 11-14 overall.
Although statistics were not provided from Monday's and Tuesday's matches, Thursday's home match against Catalina saw the Hawks celebrate Senior Night, where Anzar's Nicole Mello and Avery Pavesi were honored.
"Both played the entire match," Daughenbaugh said.
At the end of the match, with the Hawks and Cougars knotted at two games apiece, Anzar held a narrow 13-10 lead in the fifth set when defensive specialist Carly Johnson delivered a service ace and a 14-10 lead.
After Catalina scored the next point to pull back within three points, the Hawks ended the match on a "textbook" sequence: a Johnson pass, a back set from setter Sydnee Masuen and a kill from Alex Flores.
Flores finished with 18 kills and nine blocks.
"It was the best way to end the game," Daughenbaugh said. "That last play was textbook."
Jessica Stofer added 12 blocks and five kills, while Masuen had 27 assists and three aces. Nicole Mello had 22 digs, while Pavesi, Flores, Johnson and Masuen each added six digs apiece.
Nicole Seymour had six blocks and three aces, while Johnson had two aces.
"It was great," Daughenbaugh said. "I've probably never seen them play better as a team. They all showed up. The energy was great. The communication was great. They were just really pumped up for the two seniors."
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