Florida Christian earns a rematch with Palmer Trinity in girls’ volleyball regional final
With the possibility of a second consecutive regional matchup against Palmer Trinity firmly entrenched in the back of their minds, the Florida Christian girls’ volleyball players took care of the initial business at hand on Wednesday night.
The Patriots beat Marathon in straight sets 25-14, 25-22, 25-14 in a Region 4-4A semifinal on Wednesday night in the Florida Christian Gym.
The victory not only moved the Patriots’ record to 18-6, but it also put them into the regional final for the second consecutive year where they will travel south to take on Palmer on Saturday with a trip to the state final four on the line. The two teams met in last year’s regional semifinal, and Palmer prevailed in four sets.
After blowing out Marathon (17-10) in the first set, it appeared the Patriots were on their way to another easy second-set win, leading 17-6. But a temporary loss of concentration allowed the Dolphins to go on a 16-6 run to cut the lead to one before FC closed things.
“What happens on the other side of the net impacts what we do as a team as well; so it was no big deal. It was just a matter of refocusing,” said Florida Christian senior outside hitter Brittany Beckelheimer, who finished with eight kills, six digs and 11 service points. “We’re all going to have to play our best on Saturday for sure and play together as a team because nobody in volleyball can win it by themselves.”
Said Florida Christian coach Beth King: “We’ll have a few days to practice and get ready because we know it’s going to be a tough match with Palmer. They’re a great, respected program.”
Angie Quintana (12 service points), Gianna Ortiz (15 assists) and Nicole Fontela (15 digs) also contributed to the Patriots win.
More Volleyball
▪ Region Semifinal: Palmer Trinity d. Riviera Prep 25-15, 25- 7, 25-22: Ashley Quero 19 kills, 3 blocks, 1 aces, 15 digs; Daniella Diaz 6 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces, 17 digs; Juliette Hamilton 33 assists, 2 blocks, 2 aces. PT 16-5.
▪ Region Quarterfinal: Ronald Reagan d. South Broward 25-10, 25-13, 25-11: Pilar Albar-Diaz 17 assists; Sara Requena 6 kills, 3 aces; Wilnelis Giusti 4 kills, 12 aces, 8 digs; Maria Gutic 4 kills, 7 aces; Isabella Pacheco 8 digs, 3 aces. RR 18-4.
Thursday’s Football Schedule
MIAMI HERALD SOUTH FLA TOP 20
No.3 Coral Gables vs. No.17 Columbus (Trop), 7:30
Chaminade-M. at No.6 Flanagan, 7
No.10 Booker T. Washington vs. No.14 Edison (Traz), 7
No.18 Champagnat Catholic vs. Melbourne Central Catholic (Milander), 7
Other Thursday Miami-Dade games: American vs. NMB (N. Miami), 7; Doral vs. South Miami (Tropical), 3:30; Hialeah at Hialeah Gardens, 3:30; Keys Gate at Monsignor Pace, 7; Everglades Prep at Somerset Academy, 3; SFC semifinal: Ransom Everglades at North Palm Beach-Benjamin, 6; FIFC semifinal: Scheck Hillel at Palmer Trinity, 3:30.
Other Thursday Broward games: Plantation at South Plantation, 7; Hollywood Hills at South Broward, 7; Cooper City vs. West Broward (Everglades), 7; Everglades Prep at Somerset Academy, 3.
CROSS-COUNTRY
Region 4-4A at Larry and Penny Thompson Park – Girls: 4:30; Boys: 5:15
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Region 4-4A at Boca Raton: 5
District 11-1A at NSU University School: 10:30 a.m.
This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 10:56 PM with the headline "Florida Christian earns a rematch with Palmer Trinity in girls’ volleyball regional final."