Section reign comes to an end for Turlock Christian volleyball team

In the moments after Turlock Christian’s 23-25, 25-22, 25-20, 23-25, 15-5 loss to Bradshaw Christian in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V volleyball semifinals, reality set in for Eagles outside hitter Nicole Sanders.

Unlike many of her teammates, who also play basketball or softball, or both, Sanders only plays volleyball. As of now, she has no plans to play in college.

So, for all intents and purposes, her playing days are over.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Sanders, one of seven seniors on the roster. “We’ve been playing together since the sixth grade.

“But this is the only sport I play, so it’s a bit of a reality check.”

The three-time reigning Division VI champion Eagles were vying for the D-V crown due to the section’s three-peat rule – win three banners in a row and get bumped up to the next division the following season.

“We’re a school of about 130 students,” said Turlock Christian coach Pam Franco, in her seventh season with the program and first as head coach. “To make it to the semifinals in D-V was fabulous.”

Turlock Christian started fast against the Pride, which earned its third consecutive trip to the D-V final, but had to hold off a late rally in the first set. Bradshaw Christian erased a seven-point deficit and tied it 23-23, but two big swings by Sanders produced the winning points.

The Pride charged back to win the next two sets, putting the pressure on the Eagles in the fourth set. Once again, the score was tied 23-23 and Sanders delivered the final two points to force a winner-take-all fifth set – the Eagles’ first this season.

The Pride broke out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back.

Individually for the Eagles, Sanders had 26 kills and eight digs; Mikayla Yagi had 10 kills, four blocks and four aces; setter Tatiana Fabila had 20 assists and four aces; and libero Meghan Marks had 31 digs while Abbie Morelli had 16 and Cassie Balswick 10.

“Our team chemistry was amazing,” said Balswick, who will now join the Eagles basketball team. “This whole season, we accomplished so much. We improved so much from the first game to this game.

“I’m definitely going to miss these girls.”

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 3:16 AM with the headline "Section reign comes to an end for Turlock Christian volleyball team."