KELSEYVILLE — After 26-plus seasons, what”s another week or so?
The Kelseyville Knights gladly postponed head coach Larry Bresso”s impending retirement with a 26-24, 25-19, 25-19 victory over Piedmont High School on Wednesday night in the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section Division IV volleyball playoffs at a packed Kelseyville High School gym.
“That”s OK, I”ll hang around for another week or two,” Bresso said after watching the Knights, the North Central League I North champs, improve to 32-5 on the season.
Seeded second in the original playoff field, which is now down to four teams, the Knights will host No. 3 seed Moreau Catholic of Hawyard tonight in the semifinals at 7 p.m. The Mariners bring a 24-5 mark into Kelseyville and the winner advances to the Division IV championship game on Saturday.
Tonight”s winner also is guaranteed a berth in next week”s Northern California Division IV playoffs, win or lose in the sectional championship game.
With the Knights at less than 100 percent because of injuries that have plagued the team all season, senior opposite hitter Jamie Stockman, who is healthy, came through in a big way in game one with the Knights trailing 11-5. Stockman stepped to the service line at that point in the match and reeled off eight straight points to give the Knights a 13-11 lead.
“This was Jamie Stockman”s match,” Bresso said. “She shined in all areas and served lights out. She changed the whole match around by serving those eight points. It gave us just enough confidence and we eeked out a win.
“She saved our bacon,” Bresso said.
While teams often rally from a first-game loss in a best-of-five match, Bresso said the Knights needed to win the first game on Wednesday.
“We lose in game one and it”s probably a whole different story,” Bresso said.
The Knights played better in games two and three through Bresso said they struggled most of the match.
“We never really played to the level I think we”re capable of playing,” Bresso said. “We”re going to have to play a whole lot better from the get-go to beat Moreau Catholic.”
While Stockman”s big night, which included a team-best 16 digs as well as nine kills, powered the Knights, Bresso said the back row play of Casey Bowlin and Lauren Giusti and the serve receive of Lauren Nixon also were huge factors in the win.
Another key contributor was setter Jill Bailey with 41 assists, 10 digs and four kills.
Katie King, nursing a shoulder injury, led the Knights with 12 kills and Kaitlyn Goff had nine along with Stockman.
