Pitman volleyball marches to NorCal D-I final
Lindsey Vander Weide is called the “Big Stick” for a reason: When she rises for the kill, she sticks it. Over and over.
Pitman High’s excellent senior outside hitter anchored the Pride’s biggest victory to date, a 3-0 decision Saturday night over San Ramon Valley in the Northern California Division I semifinals.
Vander Weide finished with 16 kills, many of them at the right time for the Pride (42-1) to help beat the visitors 25-18, 25-23, 25-15.
Pitman (42-1) will welcome Menlo-Atherton in the NorCal final Tuesday at 7 p.m. Much of the Pride’s success comes from the 6-foot-3 Vander Weide, the two-time Central California Conference MVP who’s heading to Oregon.
“She deserves all the accomplishments she’s received,” coach Kristen Pontes-Christian said. “She is a powerhouse at the net and she’s great on defense and she’s a great leader.”
Pitman trailed 4-1 in the first set until Vander Weide launched a 10-4 run with four kills and two blocks. It was the second set, however, that tested the Pride.
San Ramon Valley (35-7), which blanked Pleasant Grove in the first round – Pleasant Grove extended Pitman to five games in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final – jumped to a 15-10 lead in the second set. Pontes-Christian called a timeout and reminded her players about the team’s “Down by Five” drill.
They set up a hypothetical five-point deficit on practice days and, basically, mandate a comeback. If they can’t, there are consequences like more running or other hard work. The Pride turned that drill into production against San Ramon Valley.
Vander Weide contributed two kills and a block to the five-point run that tied it 15-15. When San Ramon Valley star Milla Anderson suffered an ankle injury at 20-19 – she did not return to the match – Pitman took charge. The Pride won the last two points, the latter a stuff-block by freshman Whitney Barnes, and dominated the final set.
“We do it (the Down by Five) every day in practice,” Vander Weide said. “We were able to relate those skills in the game.”
Senior setter Maddy Halteman, who will continue at Fresno State, ignited the Pitman attack with 25 assists.
“Our goal was to do do what we’ve never done before, to win sections,” Kristen Pontes-Christian said. “This is all like a bonus. The girls are relaxed and focused on consistency.”
Sonora rolls – No. 2 seed Sonora (35-5), the section Division IV champion, shook off a first-set loss and rallied to eliminate Harker of San Jose 3-1. The Wildcats’ crowd-pleasing 23-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-17 victory at Castle Gym vaulted them into Tuesday night’s NorCal D-IV final against top-seed Notre Dame at Belmont.
“It sometimes takes us time to figure things out,” Sonora coach Kim Evans said. “We’re such an ultimate team. I don’t have a standout player. If one isn’t playing well, the other fills in the blank.”
Area schools fall – Turlock Christian (21-18), the section Division VI champ, was eliminated by Anderson Valley 26-24, 25-17, 25-17 in the NorCal semifinals. Stone Ridge Christian of Merced (26-11) also was stopped 3-0 in the semifinals by Waldorf of San Francisco. The Knights were beaten 25-13, 15-19, 25-18.
College Basketball
Warriors fall – The Cal State Stanislaus men (2-2) dropped an 80-53 decision to 11th-ranked California Baptist (9-1), the Warriors’ second consecutive loss at the CBU Thanksgiving Classic in Riverside. Rob Walters paced Stanislaus with 15 points while the rest of the team shot only 25 percent from the floor.
Claim Jumpers beaten – Tony Williams and Rafe King missed open three-point shots in the last minute, the latter attempt at the buzzer, and Columbia (4-2) was beaten 61-59 by Lassen (10-1) at the four-team Cabrillo Classic in Aptos. The Claim Jumpers rallied from a 16-point deficit in the final five minutes.
“To come back like that and to have open looks to win against a good team, you’ll take that every time,” Columbia coach Rob Hoyt said.
Point guard Marquell Hubbard led Columbia with 17 points, followed by Ian Merzwinski with 16 and Mike Meserole with 14. The Claim Jumpers will meet Butte, which lost to Cabrillo 74-55, today at 3p.m.
This story was originally published November 29, 2014 at 11:21 PM with the headline "Pitman volleyball marches to NorCal D-I final."