M-A libero earns PAL Bay MVP honors

“It’s a huge honor,” Fischer said.

While the PAL website does not catalog an archive of all-leaguers and MVPs, Bay Division league representative Chris Crader said it could be the first time in league history a libero — a fulltime back-row defensive player who does not rotate like the other players on the court — has earned the league’s MVP.

“I believe it to be the first time ever,” Crader said.

Fischer was one of two M-A players nominated for MVP honors, along with senior opposite hitter Alicia Letvin. M-A head coach Jairo Sierra said each Fischer and Letvin received the same number of nominations at the PAL postseason league meeting, and that he lobbied on behalf of each of them.

Sierra said Fischer was a consistent leader on the court, a quality he outlined at the league meeting.

“She’s one of those players who’s got composure, and who’s capable of saying the right things to make the people around them better and to help inspire them,” Sierra said. “And she puts a lot of grit into the game.”

The statistical performance was superb as well. Fischer averaged 4.3 digs per set this season, while totaling 380 digs. Through M-A’s three final games — all games of consequence — she reached the 20-dig plateau.

In M-A’s regular-season finale at Burlingame to clinch the PAL Bay Division championship, Fischer notched 20 digs. In the CCS Open Division playoff opener, a five-set loss to St. Ignatius-SF, she had 20 digs as well. In the final match of the year, a four-set loss to Amador Valley in the CIF State Volleyball Championships Division I first-round playoff match, Fischer totaled 23 digs.

It marked the first time in Fischer’s three-year varsity volleyball career she recorded 20 or more digs in three consecutive matches.

“I tried to stay consistent,” Fischer said. “That’s my main goal in each game. I just really try to get the ball up because we have really great setters.”

Sierra said the more compelling stat was Fischer’s passing efficiency. Ranked on a scale of zero to three, Fischer averaged a passing efficiency of over two.

“No one on our team even came close to that,” Sierra said.

While M-A’s volleyball season ended Tuesday, Nov. 6, Fischer didn’t waste any time taking a day off. The next day, she was in the M-A gym taking part in her first basketball practice of the year.

Fischer splits time between volleyball and basketball not just as an overall athlete, but emotionally as well. The reason, she said, is because she has two parents who are also athletes. Her father Dave comes from a basketball background. Her mother Sue Bartalo comes from a volleyball background.

“Which is why I don’t pick sides,” Fischer said. “I love them equally so I don’t pick sides.”

A three-year varsity volleyball player, Fischer began her career as a libero when she was a sophomore. Last season, she played predominantly as a defensive specialist, while now-graduated Nicole Kang donned the libero jersey. This year, Fischer returned to her natural position.

“She made it her own in terms of the way she tackled it as a volleyball player,” Sierra said.

Letvin and junior middle Merit Hoyem were M-A’s other two first-team all-Bay Division players. In the PAL Ocean Division, Terra Nova sophomore Arianne Herrera was named league MVP.