IN SPORTS: HAWKS SURVIVE PLAYOFF TEST
GALT — Makynna Snow and her Liberty Ranch High volleyball teammates were looking to make history in the program.
That is winning a SacJoaquin Section playoff match.
In the end, Liberty Ranch, the No. 16 seed in Division III, went five sets against No. 17 Mountain House, in a playoff play-in match at The Hawks Nest on Monday. Two hours and 10 minutes later, Liberty Ranch pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Mustangs; the final scores were 25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 21-25, 18-16.
“That was an overall team effort,” said Liberty Ranch coach Mark Snow.
The post-season win is the first in the Hawks’ program since the school opened its doors in 2009. Now Liberty Ranch (17-20) advances into today’s playoff match at No. 1 seed Nevada Union of Grass Valley.
In the fifth set, Liberty Ranch and Mountain House (15-10) traded leads several times to a 16-16 tie. That was largely due to the outside hitting and kills from Snow, who recorded kills from the back and front rows, as well as serving from behind the line in this set and the match. Liberty Ranch’s Kayden Freeman and Bailey Furtado were also contributors toward the Hawks’ scoring in the set.
“Throughout the match, except for the second set, we didn’t serve particularly great,” Mark Snow said. “Makynna started to hit the ball well in that one (fifth set). So I told Bailey ‘hey, she’s got the hot hand, we have to keep it (going).’ She’s got a lot of power for someone being 5’6.”
Mountain House also got help behind the line from Lemya Mohamed and Jasmine Linsangan prior to the draw.
But the turning point at 16-16 was Liberty Ranch outside hitter Emma Pearson struck the volleyball down the middle of the Mustangs’ court to give the Hawks a 17-16 lead. Mountain House was unable to keep the volleyball inbound, which led to the final point and Hawks celebrating their first-ever playoff victory.
Moving the volleyball from the front and back rows with multiple passes, and sometimes repeating nearly a half-dozen times during one sequence, was plus for Liberty Ranch in that set.
“We passed really well; all of our hits went in,” Makynna Snow said. “It was mainly because we were talking.”
In the fourth set, Mountain House led the entire time; from the early part at 6-2 through the final score. Mustang middle blocker Helen Earle, who the Hawks contained most of the match, had four kills during this set.
Liberty Ranch, which took second place in the Sierra Valley Conference this season, was led by outside hitter Kaydence Stormes, who had back-to-back aces that cut the Mustangs’ lead to 12-9. But defensive errors in playing the ball near the line hurt Liberty Ranch but helped Mountain House en route to the win and sending the match to a fifth set.
In the third set, Liberty Ranch broke a 14-14 tie thanks to a Mustang side out. Now leading 15-14, the Hawks finished the set with an 11-9 run that included service points from middle hitter Jaclyn Jackson, who had four aces during this set, and Stormes, who had back-toback aces that recorded the final two points for the win.
Mark Snow gave plenty of credit to Liberty Ranch libero and defensive specialist Keauna Cason, standing only 5-foot-5. The junior moved the volleyball from the back and front rows, setting up shots for Makynna Snow, Stormes and Freeman.
“If she doesn’t pass well, we don’t have a chance,” said Mark Snow. “She’s done great all year.”
Clinging to a 22-21 lead in the second set, Mountain House iced the win over the Hawks being the all-around effort of hitting and many digs from Journey Cahayagan and Liberty Ranch side outs. Minimal communication in that set, Makynna Snow pointed out, was the reason for the loss.
“That was why we did better,” said Snow, who was referring to the final set.
Liberty Ranch jumped out to a 6-4 lead in the first set. Both teams had several rallies to keep the volleyball alive. But the Hawks were able to take advantage of shots taken down their own sideline hit by many Mustang players that led to getting the win.
The playoff win was enjoyed by Mark Snow, Makynna Snow and the rest of the Hawks, who been in the playoffs the last four years but have been one and done.
“There wasn’t one person that was dominant on this team,” Mark Snow said. “We made it through.”