Cañada volleyball keeps playoff hopes alive in sweep

Now into the coaching staff’s second season, Cañada is fighting for a postseason berth with no margin for error. With the top two teams in the Coast Conference South guaranteed playoff berths, the Lady Colts (5-3 Coast South, 11-8 overall) are in fourth place — a half game back of third-place De Anza and one game back of second-place Foothill — after sweeping past Ohlone-Fremont (2-5, 7-11) Friday night 25-9, 25-10, 25-20.

With four more regular-season matches remaining — including showdowns with Foothill and De Anza — the Colts are in full-on win-or-go-home mode.

“We are definitely at that point,” Cañada sophomore Sabrina Miller said. “We took a tough loss against De Anza (in five sets on Oct. 21) but the next five games we just kept pushing. Now we just have to keep our energy and keep going.”

Energy was certainly not a problem Friday. Miller was a force at net, totaling a match-high five blocks, including three in the dominant opening set. The sophomore, two years removed from graduating from Carlmont, also fired a match-high seven kills.

But, as Miller said, nothing rallies the troops like the roofs.

“That’s one of the things I enjoy the most,” Miller said. “Roofing is just the best thing.”

The rest of the Colts’ local contingent caught fire behind their star middle blocker. Freshman outside hitter Rachel Fink — one of three Sequoia graduates on the team — fired six kills. And dynamo libero Natie Manalo added to her state lead with 27 digs. While she ranks third in the state in total digs with 479, she is tops in digs per set with 7.98.

“When our players play like that, I think we can hang with anybody in the league,” Tigno said.

Manalo was the first player Tigno recruited when he took the job at Cañada. He and Morasci, who coach club volleyball out of Redwood City at powerhouse Red Rock, saw Manalo at a club regional and immediately recruited her. The Lowell-SF grad became the nucleus of the recruiting class that helped the Colts to a third-place finish last season.

This season, the Sequoia High School grads stormed the local community college. Sophomore middle blocker Natalie Harden was already aboard from last season. But this year Fink and defensive specialist Camille Louie, also Sequoia grads, round out the roster.

“I think we’ve been really strong throughout the entire season,” Fink said. “Especially with the blocking. [Miller and Harden,] they’re our powerhouse players.”

Now the Colts need to stay healthy. They recently got outside hitter Amanda Corsetti back after the freshman out of San Mateo High School missed four matches due to a wrist injury. Corsetti is still not 100 percent, playing with a wrapped right wrist. She now splits time with sophomore Gina Paratore (Mills), who spells Corsetti particularly on defensive rotations.

Miller also missed two matches due to injury but looked in top form Friday. The 5-11 freshman currently ranks seventh in the state with 1.17 blocks per set.

Morasci hits the airwaves

A former Half Moon Bay coach, Morasci made her television debut Thursday as the color commentator for HMB’s season finale win against Terra Nova that was broadcast on the NFHS Network. Working with play-by-play man Mike Ingles — HMB’s junior-varsity volleyball coach — was Morasci’s saving grace, she said.

“Luckily I had a partner who had done it before,” Morasci said. “It was pretty fun but it was a departure for me.”

It was a sentimental opportunity for Morasci to cover the match, as it was the high school swan song for HMB’s great outside hitter Hailey Merkes.

Morasci was on staff in 2013 when Merkes made her varsity debut Sept. 17 with seven kills in a sweep of Alma Heights. Friday, Merkes closed her prep career in style by matching her career high with 29 kills.

“I was there for her first varsity game and I was there for her last,” Morasci said.