Suffering a loss Saturday in the Bay Area Classic Tournament to host Menlo-Atherton might have been the best thing for the Carlmont volleyball team.
Since the loss in Saturday’s semifinals of the bronze bracket at M-A’s host tournament, the Lady Scots (2-1 PAL Bay, 5-7 overall) have earned three straight wins against Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division opponents, most recently downing M-A in a rematch five days later 25-20, 25-18, 25-21 in league play Thursday afternoon in Belmont.
“I think we rocked the house,” Carlmont head coach Sergio Smirnoff said.
That’s only half the story as the Lady Scots knocked off both reigning PAL Bay Division champions in back-to-back matches. Carlmont opened the week with five-set slugfest for a 25-22, 22-25, 19-25, 25-23, 16-14 home win over Burlingame, a team that shared the Bay crown with M-A in 2024.
Carlmont finished in fourth place in the PAL Bay last season.
“We beat last year’s season champions back-to-back in the same week,” Smirnoff said. “So, I don’t know, it feels good.”
Smirnoff touts a varsity roster of 14 players, but only had 12 available Thursday. While the team rode senior outside hitter Alyssa Ison and sophomore libero Elyssa Won, the Scots are a sum-of-its-parts team that relies on their full roster depth, Smirnoff said.
“My bench, they’re all great players,” Smirnoff said. “Sometimes we even change the lineup. So, everybody who is coming to the court is adding value.”
Carlmont started its current three-game win streak in the seventh-place match of the Bay Area Classic Tournament, defeating Sequoia, another PAL Bay squad, 25-14, 25-16.
THURSDAY
Menlo School 3, Mercy-Burlingame 0
After losing nine straight to start the year, Menlo (2-1 WBAL Foothill, 2-9 overall) has swept to two straight wins, most recently with a 25-16, 25-20, 25-14 win over Mercy-Burlingame (1-1, 6-5) at Serra.
Senior opposite hitter Kinsey Nam stepped up to pepper a career-high 11 kills, swinging .440 in the match. Nam added two service aces, while the Lady Knights totaled 12 aces, led by senior libero Ava Wang with four to go with her 21 digs. Three Mercy players shared the team lead in scoring as junior Shianna Sherwin and freshmen Deanica De Lira and Gianna Ohman totaled five kills each.
The Lady Dons (3-0 PAL Bay, 12-3 overall) took sole possession of first place as the only unbeaten team remaining in the PAL Bay Division with 23-25, 25-16, 14-25, 25-21, 15-9 victory at home over Sequoia (2-1, 8-6).
Junior attacker Caitlyn Robertson fronted the Aragon offense with a match-high 17 kills, while sophomore Poppy McKenzie racked up 10 kills and four blocks. Sequoia sophomore Kiera Winters scored a team-high 14 kills, while senior Katalina Tuipulotu and sophomore Samantha McMurtry added 11 kills apiece.
Aragon senior Gabby Xiao led all servers with four aces, while senior Sosefina Tatola recorded a season-high 23 digs.
The Panthers (1-2 PAL Bay, 4-8) picked up their first league win of the year 25-13, 25-10, 25-14 at Woodside (0-3, 1-7). Burlingame totaled 13 service aces, led by senior Addie Uhrich with a season-high five aces. Junior outside hitter Jordan Toomey led the attack with 12 kills, and junior opposite hitter Katerina Karkazis added 10. Senior middle Ava Scatena totaled four blocks.
Hillsdale 3, Half Moon Bay 0
Senior Eliza Bell swung for a .440 hitting percentage to score a team-high 12 kills as the Lady Knights (2-1 PAL Bay, 4-6) swept to a 25-18, 25-19, 25-15 win at home over Half Moon Bay (0-3, 4-4). Senior Kaylani Kirby led Hillsdale with 15 service points on 18 attempts, including five aces. Senior Chloe Armstrong finished with seven kills and three blocks.
The Lady Vikings (3-0 PAL Ocean, 7-9 overall) totaled 17 service aces, led by junior Abigail Purvey with five, to win it 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-7 at home against Westmoor (0-3, 2-12). Mills is now one of three unbeaten teams in PAL Ocean Division play, along with Capuchino and San Mateo.
Juniors Reanna Ng and Milla Hassan led the Vikings with 11 kills apiece, while Hassan added three blocks. Senior Chloe Wong was the dig leader with 17.
Sacred Heart Prep 3, Notre Dame-Belmont 0
The Gators (2-0 WBAL Foothill, 7-0 overall) rolled to their seventh straight win to open the year, sweeping 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 at home past Notre Dame-Belmont (2-1, 11-5) to take over sole possession of first place in the West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division.
Sophomore outside hitter Leilah Abrams led SHP’s attack with 17 kills, but the Gators’ defense won the day in limiting NDB senior outside hitter Gia Rivera to 15 kills. SHP junior setter Kiley McGibben ran the Gators’ offense with 23 assists.
Aragon is off to a hot start, but faces its toughest test next week with back-to-back matchups with reigning co-PAL Bay Division champions Burlingame and Menlo-Atherton.
The Black Bears (1-0 PSAL, 10-5 overall) rallied back after dropping the opening set to win their Private School Athletic League Bay Division opener 21-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-11 at Nueva School. Senior outside hitter Bianca Flores led the way with a double-double, totaling 19 kills and 22 digs, to go with two aces and two blocks. Junior Layla Wilson added five blocks (four solo) for Shasta, while junior Daniela Ruiz totaled seven kills and five service aces.
Capuchino (2-0 PAL Ocean, 6-0 overall) won its sixth straight to open the year, sweeping 25-10, 25-17, 26-24 at home against Terra Nova (1-2, 1-10).
Jefferson (1-1 PAL Ocean, 2-6 overall) rebounded from a Game 1 loss to win 23-25, 25-10, 25-17, 25-22 at South City (0-3, 1-9).
Design Tech (1-0 PSAL Bay, 4-5 overall) swept to 25-7, 25-22, 25-16 win at home over KIPP Collegiate-San Jose (0-1, 5-4).
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