t has been a season of goal setting and goal achieving for the Castilleja volleyball team.
First was winning the West Bay Athletic League title. Done. Next up was securing the team's first-ever Central Coast Section Division V title. Done. Finally, the goal was to advance past the NorCal semifinals for the first time. Done.
In accomplishing that last goal, the Gators set themselves up for yet another - to capture the first NorCal championship in school history.
Done. That happened Tuesday night in Atherton as top-seeded Castilleja eliminated No. 2-seeded Woodland Christian (36-6) in quick fashion, 25-17, 25-16, 25-21, at St. Joseph's School of the Sacred Heart.
That victory puts Castilleja (36-6) in Saturday's Division V CIF state championship match against Santa Fe Christian (22-11) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo at 10 a.m. Moreover, it gives the Gators one more goal to achieve.
"I'd like to win state," said senior outside hitter Ariel Baxterbeck, who led the Gators with 17 kills and 13 digs against Woodland Christian. "But, I'll be happy if we play our best volleyball of the season, no matter what the outcome."
But winning a state title?
"That would be amazing," Baxterbeck said. "A dream come true."
With all the goals Castilleja has achieved this season, the year truly has been dreamy. The 36 victories ties the school's single-season record (36-3 set in 2002), giving the Gators yet another goal to shoot for on Saturday.
"Our goal all season was to go to state," said Castilleja coach Tracie Hubbard. "We've achieved our goal. Everything else from here on should be fun."
For Castilleja's fine senior class, reaching the state finals is the icing on the cake.
"Coming into the season, we weren't having our eyes on state," said senior Alissa Flesher. "We were focused on CCS. We just wanted to get past where we were last year. Getting to state is a real plus."
For Hubbard, it has been a quick journey to the top. Since taking over the program two seasons ago, the Menlo-Atherton High grad has taken her team a step further each year.
In 2003, the Gators lost their CCS finale and NorCal opener while finishing 28-9. In 2004, Castilleja lost its CCS finale but reached the NorCal semifinals before losing and ending the year 34-6.
Tuesday's victory put the Gators on yet another plateau and within reach of the grand prize.
The 6-foot-1 Baxterbeck, headed for Northwestern on a volleyball scholarship next fall, came up big once again Tuesday as she pounded ball after ball past the shorter visitors. She wasn't alone, however. The 6-1 Flesher produced 11 kills and four blocks while fellow seniors Chelsea Ono-Horn and Molly Doran split 12 kills. Suelyn Yu had a season-best 16 digs to round out a solid effort by Castilleja's seniors.
Junior setter Katherine Jordan added 41 assists, doing a fine job distributing the ball to her teammates.
Castilleja never trailed in the first game and only once (0-1) in the second. The Gators trailed early in Game 3 and finally called a timeout when the Cardinals crept into a 15-15 tie. Castilleja came out of that break and Flesher came up with a big block for a 16-15 lead and Gators never trailed. Sophomore Audrey Kuan came up with some key digs during the final run to keep the Gators' rally going.
Baxterbeck set up Ono-Horn for the final kill and point of the night.
"We were pretty confident coming into the match," Baxterbeck said. "We looked them up on the internet and knew we had a height advantage. Defense was real important because we knew, offensively, we could beat them."
Flesher agreed.
"As soon as we get good passing, our hitting takes over," she said. "I felt like I had a pretty good game. It's a tribute to our passing."
Hubbard said the sweep of Woodland Christian wasn't a surprise. The Gators had a decided height advantage and it was just a matter of time in each game before they pulled away.
"That was pretty typical of our team," Hubbard said. "We usually hang around with a team until 12 or 13 points, until we finally make that extra push and don't let the other team get any runs . . . we pretty much play off the other team."
Hubbard also was confident in her team's offense.
"We had a bigger offense than they did," she said. "That ultimately was the difference."
The question now is, will that offense show up Saturday in the state finals?
Santa Fe Christian (22-11) was the No. 2 seed in the Southern California playoffs and upset top-seeded Bakersfield Christian, 26-24, 29-27, 18-25, 16-25, 15-12, behind Alanna Resch's 37 kills and setter Abbie Wright's 47 assists.
"An epic battle," Santa Fe coach David Proffitt said of his team's SoCal finale. "In the last game, I just came into the huddle and told them all of what's gone on tonight is history. It's a one-game match, just go out and win it."
That will be Castilleja's task on Saturday.
"We have to be a little better," Hubbard said. "We'll definitely be focused."
Focused, on yet another goal.
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