Mercy rallies back to stun Terra Nova

“That has definitely been one of our best games yet,” Borabo said.

Previous to Saturday, the last time a road team rebounded from a two-set deficit to win a CCS playoff match was in 2016 when No. 5 Saratoga rallied back at No. 4 Prospect in the Division III bracket. Prior to that, you have to go back to 2013 when No. 4 Crystal Springs Uplands stunned top-seed Mt. Madonna in the Division V semifinals.

Even in the regular season this is a rare feat. Mercy (19-17 overall) last bounced back to win after being two sets down on the road in 2012 at Castilleja, this three years before coaches Chris Balestrieri and Nicole Rathman took over the program. The husband-wife coaching team did lead such a comeback on their home court earlier this season, though, a Sept. 28 non-league victory over Crystal Springs Uplands.

“We were in the same situation,” Balestrieri said. “We played a fired up team … dropped the first two (sets) and came back and won the last three. And it was in a similar fashion.”

For Terra Nova (20-6), the champion of the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division, picking up the varied attack of the Crusaders was a tall order. Mercy added nine kills apiece from juniors Malayah Hernendez and Katie Adams.

“It’s a big difference when you see three or four hitters instead of one,” Terra Nova head coach Andy Serrano said.

The Crusaders hardly looked like a team that finished tied for last place in the West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division. And it was the connection between junior setter Becky Roos and Borabo that won the day. Roos totaled 51 assists, while Borabo swung at a .488 clip, adding a double-double night with 18 digs and three aces.

“To be honest, everyone in PAL has at least one hitter that keeps them in it,” Serrano said. “What has kept us in every game has been our defense, and we just didn’t play defense tonight.”

Mercy also helped its own cause by getting its service game under control. The Crusaders committed eight service faults through the first two sets. They went on to fault just six times through the remainder of the match, including none in the closing set, totaling 14 on the night.

“I felt very confident that we’re probably going to do it in the third set,” Serrano said. “And we just played horrible.”

After a strong finish in dropping the second set, Mercy regrouped on its sideline. But the players were reminded of that Sept 28 match against Crystal Springs and took heed.

“You could kind of see it was quiet and you didn’t know what was going to happen,” Borabo said. “But we’ve been in this situation before. Luckily we were able to collect ourselves and get back in it.”

Mercy opened Game 3 with authority. With the set tied 2-2, the Crusaders went on a 13-1 run, including a seven-point service spree by senior Clarissa Baldocchi. And Borabo was tactically picking apart the Terra Nova defense — which switched libero Alyssa Chan from left back to middle back specifically for Saturday’s matchup — with a variance of shots.

Terra Nova was held to just three team kills in the third set. Game 4, the Tigers found more effective attacking lines, led by Shirley Morrison’s six set kills.

But the Crusaders, once they turned the tide, proved unstoppable. They outscored Terra Nova 16-9 in kills in the fourth set, with five different players putting down multiple kills.

Tied at 10-10 and 12-12, Borabo responded to each deadlock by giving her team the lead off the left side. Terra Nova’s Ari Herrera tied it once more by clipping the back line to make it 13-13. But a Tigers cross-shot went wide to give Mercy a 14-13 advantage, sparking a 4-0 run with Borabo on the service line.

In Game 5, Terra Nova showed some early life, leading 4-3. With the decisive set tied 5-5, however, Mercy went on a 10-1 run to close it out, with Baldocchi finishing off the comeback victory with a service ace.

There was one overturned call along the way with Mercy up 6-5, on a Crusaders shot the corner judge ruled hit the floor, but the head referee initially ruled a dig by the Terra Nova defense, with the rally playing out to a Tigers point. Balestrieri appealed the call, though, and after a referee conference, the shot in question was ruled to have hit the floor and the point was awarded to Mercy.

“[The corner judge] had made the call; it was down,” Balestrieri said. “So, I just asked for them to talk. … I didn’t know if it was going to be the difference. I don’t think it was the difference. I think we just played really well.”

With the win, Mercy-Burlingame advanced to Tuesday’s Division IV quarterfinal round. The Crusaders are slated to travel to No. 4 Harker-San Jose for a 6 p.m. start.