BERKELEY — No. 1 seed St. Mary”s High School lived up to its top ranking and then some on Wednesday night, ending Lower Lake”s season with a 25-14, 25-11, 25-8 win in the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section Division IV volleyball playoffs at Berkeley.
St. Mary”s (27-8) advances to tonight”s semifinal round against El Molino (11-7) of Forestville, the No. 4 seed.
Lower Lake (21-14) and St. Mary”s were the only two league champions in the original 10-team Division IV field. The Trojans, winners of the North Central League I North, found themselves in a battle with the Panthers in game one.
“We were down 14-13,” Lower Lake coach Danessa Udy said. “Unfortunately we went back to our old ways with service errors.”
St. Mary”s scored 11 of the next 12 points to win the game.
“They have a monstrous girl (outside hitter) who has signed with Cal,” Udy said. “We were happy if we just touched it when she hit it.”
Tashee Denson”s five kills led the Trojans in their season finale. Renita Gilliam added two kills and two blocks, and Amber Shoffeitt, Lower Lake”s four-year varsity veteran, had two kills.
“It”s emotional for me,” Udy said of her last match with the team”s seniors. “I”ve had Amber for four years, Chelsey (Fiedler) since her sophomore year, and Elisabeth (Fortino) was cut her freshman year. It”s a great group of seniors.”
Looking back at the 2007 season, one that met the high expectations Udy set for her team, the Lower Lake coach said, “It was a great season. I”m proud of how well the team came along from beginning to end.”
