Raiders surge to 8A title
Aquinas finds its rhythm in Game 2 with Davis, Barash
Talk about your blue waves.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ girls volleyball team, after losing the first game, blew past Tampa Plant in the 8A state final in Fort Myers on Thursday night 17-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-19, winning its sixth state title and fourth in the past five years.
After losing the final seven points of game one, the Raiders, led by seniors Sophia Davis and Paige Barash, edged past Plant (27-2) in the second game but then, midway through game three, the Raiders found their rhythm and dominated.
Aquinas (26-5) was tied 9-9 in that third game but won six of the next seven points and was never threatened afterward.
Davis, continually swinging to her right and firing spike after spike, ended up with 16 kills and eight blocks. Barash, meanwhile, logged 14 kills, 11 digs and six blocks.
It was an all-around topshelf effort, with freshman Carter Mogridge adding 10 kills and seniors Mallory Barash and Kelsey O’Loughlin combining for 43 assists.
Further, STA got three of their points in a row late in game four off kills from senior Sofia Pinzon. Amanda Silvestri had a game-high 13 digs.
The Raiders, coached by Lisa Zielinski, had previously won state titles in 1995, 2004, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The title ties Aquinas with Miami Sunset and Orlando Bishop Moore in a deadlock for sixth place statewide, with Fort Lauderdale intracity stalwart Cardinal Gibbons leading the way with 20.