WATSONVILLE — Mt. Madonna head volleyball coach Erin Mitchell is experiencing a bit of déjà vu.
Thinking back to her senior season at Mt. Madonna in 2009 and a couple years prior to her sophomore season, too, Mitchell could vividly remember the connection of each team and how that powered the Hawks to a state championship and a pair of Northern California finals.
“Everyone was playing for each other,” Mitchell said. “We’ve had good long parts of that this season and then we kind of lose it for a little bit and find it again. The last two matches, seeing it in those last few games, it’s awesome. That’s the reason I coach. That’s the reason I’m still involved with volleyball.”
And it’s arguably the biggest reason why the No. 3-seeded Hawks, powered by an airtight defense and an on-fire attack, will play at top-seeded San Marin High tonight for the NorCal Division V championship.
The match, scheduled for 6 p.m. in Novato, will be Mt. Madonna’s (17-11) first NorCal final since Mitchell’s senior season at the private school of around 70 kids hidden in the Watsonville hills.
Mt. Madonna volleyball historians of sorts, the girls on this year’s team have picked Mitchell’s brain for any bits of information that could help them heading into today’s match against San Marin, which is ranked higher than them in the state, will have a large height advantage — the Mustangs have four girls 5-foot-10 or taller — and have not dropped a set through the first two matches of the NorCal tournament.
The resounding response they’ve received from Mitchell has been a simple one: enjoy the moment and enjoy each other.
“You really have to love and be with your team all the time,” said Mt. Madonna senior middle blocker Gracie Howley, gesturing to the numerous banners hanging from the walls in the school’s gym. “The only way you’re going to get through this is together.”
Mt. Madonna’s connection was tested in each of its first two matches of the NorCal tournament. The Hawks had to overcome a slow start last weekend against No. 11 Escalon High to pull out a four-set win and then had to band together in a five-set nail-biter against No. 7 Clear Lake High on Tuesday night in order to earn their way into the championship match.
Howley was all over the court on Tuesday. She finished with nine kills, three digs, five blocks and two aces and the Hawks needed everything she gave them against hard-hitting Clear Lake (29-7).
The Hawks sleepwalked through a 25-16 first-set loss but looked to have found their footing in the second and third behind their defense.
Sophomore libero AnMei Dashbach-Prisk and senior setter Indigo Kelly hit the deck to keep several balls alive and combined for 19 digs, while junior outside hitter Mara Peruzzi added 15 and sophomore Paola Jacobs chipped in with five.
Peruzzi and Jacobs also brought the hammer down on offense to stake the Hawks to a 2-1 match lead with 25-13 wins in the second and third sets. The two combined for 30 kills and five aces.
Junior right side Eleanor Harrington also had a nice overall night with nine kills and seven digs but Clear Lake found just enough offense to extend the match to a fifth set.
Peruzzi opened the deciding set with a kill and the Hawks led wire-to-wire and pulled away late behind a trio of consecutive kills from Jacobs.
“We really honed in and focused,” Howley said.
The adversity was nothing new for the Hawks, who have suffered plenty of setbacks throughout the year but have oozed resiliency during their postseason run.
Mt. Madonna was a contender in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League near the midway point of the season at 4-1 and with a big win over Soquel High but the Hawks went on to finish tied for fourth in the league at 6-8.
Yet, they were able to forget the woes of their SCCAL season and string together enough wins to earn trip to the Central Coast Section Division V championship game.
In the section final, however, Mt. Madonna only met more resistance in the form of a three-set loss to powerhouse Santa Catalina. But, again, the Hawks bounced back and found their way into Saturday’s NorCal final.
“I’m still kind of shocked that we’re here right now,” Peruzzi said. “It’s awesome. I’m really pumped and we’re in the finals.”
In San Marin, the Hawks will face a team that is ranked 228th in the state by MaxPreps.com — Mt. Madonna is 306th — and has several potent hitters to attack with.
Five-foot-9 junior outside hitter Liz King leads the team with 228 kills, while 5-foot-10 senior opposite Emily O’Brien (149), 5-foot-11 junior middle blocker Kelsea Bergerson (132) and 6-foot sophomore middle blocker Abby Bergerson (122) can also find the floor.
Mt. Madonna will also have to deal with 6-foot senior middle blocker Claire Stott, who is second on the team in blocks with 26.
After Tuesday’s win, Peruzzi said the Hawks did not know much about San Marin but explained that they wouldn’t feel unprepared heading into Saturday.
They do, after all, have someone who’s been there and done it.
“[Coach Mitchell has] been a big motivator and inspiration,” Peruzzi said.
