APTOS — The Aptos girls volleyball team would like a third shot at Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League rival Soquel.
The Mariners took their first step toward that rematch on Tuesday night.
Outside hitters Jillian Rodriguez and Peyton Dueck led the charge on offense, middle blockers Gabby Giuffre and Emilia Jeffe made life tough on opposing hitters and No. 2 Aptos swept No. 7 Prospect, 25-21, 25-20, 25-16, to advance to Thursday’s Central Coast Section Division III semifinals.
Aptos (24-8) will host No. 3 Hillsdale at 7:30 p.m. for the right to move on to Saturday’s championship round.
Top-seeded Soquel handled business on the other end of the bracket. The Knights (29-6) beat No. 9 El Camino in four games to earn a date with No. 4 Notre Dame-San Jose on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
If Aptos and Soquel pull rank, the two will meet for the third time this season in what will also be a rematch of last year’s CCS D-III championship game.
Soquel has won the three previous meetings, edging Aptos for a section title last fall and an SCCAL championship a few weeks ago.
“I think we’re all mentally prepared for that,” Rodriguez said. “The last two times we’ve played them, each time we’ve gotten better and more focused. We’ve gotten better, so this last time, hopefully, it’s better.”
Rodriguez struck down numerous kills, including one off a defender’s face, to help the Mariners win at least one playoff game for the fourth straight season.
Aptos senior Jillian Rodriguez sends one off the beak of a Prospect defender. #RPsports pic.twitter.com/DicJB4RRsk
— Tony Nunez (@Tony_Nunez) October 31, 2018
Dueck also had a solid night hitting from the outside, and diving for digs in the backline to lead Aptos to its sixth straight three-game win.
Aptos sophomore Peyton Dueck knocks down a kill against Prospect. #RPsports pic.twitter.com/iMsfJghAEN
— Tony Nunez (@Tony_Nunez) October 31, 2018
It’s last loss? A five-game heartbreaker against Soquel that essentially guaranteed the program’s five-year reign over the SCCAL would end.
“I definitely think we’ve improved (since that loss),” Dueck said. “We’ve learned from our mistakes and we’re moving forward.”
Along with making an impact on defense, Giuffre and Jeffe also kept the Prospect (14-14) defense guessing with their mighty swings from the middle of the court.
Setter Chloe Manor dished a multitude of assists their way, and also found opposite Natalia Ackerman for a handful of successful attacks.
“I thought we did a pretty good job of involving both of our outsides, Natalia and our middles,” said Aptos first-year head coach Lake Merchen. “That was all because of our passing.”
In other CCS volleyball action:
• Mt. Madonna 3, Nueva 2 – The No. 2 Hawks had to hold off a rally from No. 10 Nueva in the quarterfinals of the CCS D-V playoffs to secure a spot in Thursday’s semifinals.
Mt. Madonna (14-10) edged Nueva (16-3) 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 23-25, 16-14.
The Hawks play No. 6 Summit Shasta — a three-game winner over No. 3 Crystal Springs — at Watsonville High on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Paola Jacobs had 24 kills, 24 digs and three aces, Mara Peruzzi added 16 kills, 16 digs and two aces and Savannah Cambell finished with 47 assists, six digs and two aces.
AnMei Dasbach-Prisk made 16 digs.
• S.H.P. 3, M.V.C. 0 – No. 11 Monte Vista Christian fell in the first round of the CCS D-IV playoffs to No. 6 Sacred Heart Prep on Saturday in Atherton.
The Mustangs finished the year with a 14-18 overall record.
M.V.C. will say goodbye to six seniors: Angelina Walker, Christine Vea, Malou Oostveen, Kailey Morrell, Britlyn Coleman and Angelica Alcantar.
