SFIS’ Pino serves up a gem in win over Thoreau
Lady Braves senior defensive specialist nails nine aces
RIO RANCHO — There was nothing pretty about Santa Fe Indian School’s performance Thursday afternoon — except for Analisa Pino.
For 17 wonderful service points in Game 4 of a Class 3A opening-round state volleyball match against Thoreau in the Santa Ana Star Center, Pino displayed the acumen of a fine craftswomen. The Lady Braves senior defensive specialist carved openings into the Lady Hawks’ defense with her serve, and she left them dazed by the end of her run.
It was the highlight of a 19-25, 25-11, 25-12, 25-8 win that propelled sixthseeded SFIS to a 3A quarterfinal against a fellow District 2-3A foe. They will play two-time state runner-up No. 5 Las Vegas Robertson on Friday in the Santa Ana Star Center. The Lady Cardinals earned a first-round bye after winning Pool D, as did St. Michael’s (Pool A winners.)
Pino’s service performance made up for what was at times a sloppily-played match that helped No. 12 Thoreau, as it played an almost chaotic style that had SFIS (17-6) guessing through a lackluster opening game.
“We’re not used to them hitting it straight over [on the first or second touch],” Pino said. “We couldn’t get ourselves together. Once we figured out what they were doing, we got it together.”
Boy, did the Lady Braves. Behind the strong hitting performances from senior twins Leanna and Camilla Lewis, who combined for 20 kills, SFIS overwhelmed Thoreau (14-9).
“That’s what we need to do — be aggressive,” Lady Braves head coach Brian Gurule said. “We were so passive that first game, and they got us out of our system so bad because of that first hit over. If we stat aggressive, we’re fine.”
The Lady Hawks had a moment in Game 4 that made the Lady Braves nervous. SFIS fell into a familiar trap of committing hitting errors and playing Thoreau’s style of volleyball, and the Lady Hawks took a 7-6 lead when Jamie Cruz-Sandoval sailed a hit wide.
A Thoreau hitting error gave the Lady Braves the serve, and Pino stepped to the service line. While it came at a crucial moment, it was also a key service game for Pino.
“The serve before [in Game 3], I hit into the net,” Pino said. “I was like, ‘I have to redeem myself.’ So, I did.”
Pino had back-to-back aces that gave the Lady Braves a 9-7 lead, then Marlena Yazzie surprised the Lady Hawks defense with a dump kill on her set for a three-point lead. Then came an aceace-ace-ace run by Pino as she hit the sideline twice and in front of Thoreau’s back row. The Lady Hawks called timeout to regroup.
But it didn’t matter. Pino served three more aces, Leanna Lewis had a kill and it was 24-7 by the time SFIS gave the Lady Hawks the serve back.
“I serve pretty good typically, just not that good,” Pino said, with a laugh.
Now, the Lady Braves face the Lady Cardinals for the fifth time this season, and Robertson beat them every time. The first win, though, was forfeited when the Lady Cardinals used an ineligible player. Gurule said there will be no surprises by either side, but he emphasized that his team needs to play aggressively.
“It’s going to be about execution, and we can’t be intimidated,” Gurule said.
IN OTHER 3A MATCHES: NO. 4 TULAROSA 3, NO. 11 SANTA FE PREP 0
The Blue Griffins succumbed to the same problems that plagued them all year long — injuries and inconsistency. Prep (8-15) had a chance to take Game 1 when it built an 18-14 lead, but an eight-point Lady Wildcats rally stole the momentum.
Tularosa senior outside hitter Allysa Montoya had three kills during the run and junior Savannah Duran added an ace. Tularosa (19-3) went on to a 25-21, 25-13, 25-16 sweep and will play No. 3 Albuquerque Sandia Prep on Friday.
“We haven’t gone four or five [games] in a long time,” Prep senior outside hitter Daisy Cunningham said. “I know that we could keep fighting, but I think we just lose our energy after a while.”
Prep head coach Kiran Bhakta said Cunningham played with a sore right leg and libero Rafaella Mark split her lip when she took a ball to the face in the third game, leaving for a few points to get the bleeding stopped. Bhakta said he was encouraged by the determination the younger players showed when he put them in late in the match, and feels it sets up his team well for next year, as the Blue Griffins only lose Cunningham.
“Twelve out of the 13 [players] are underclassmen,” Bhakta said. “We lose only one senior and our juniors had no varsity experience coming into this year.”