With no home gym and ‘against all odds,’ Mater Academy volleyball reaches state finals
Angeles Alderete’s serve sailed over the net, out of reach for any Fort Myers player to receive it.
Service ace Mater Academy. Point Mater Academy. Fifth set Mater Academy.
The celebration began.
The Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy Charter Lions girls’ volleyball team is heading to the state championship for the first time in school history after defeating Fort Myers 3-2 in the Class 6A state semifinals on Saturday at Monsignor Pace High School. Mater Academy, 8-2 on the year and ranked seventh in the state by MaxPreps, will face undefeated Tallahassee Leon (11-0) for the Class 6A title at 7 p.m. Saturday at Fort Myers’ Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
And Mater Academy had its slew of hurdles to overcome this year. In addition to new protocols put in place this season due to COVID-19 and a shortened schedule, the Lions did not have a home gym to use this year. Lopez said the school gymnasium at Mater Academy is being rebuilt after termites were found in the roof back in March. Most days, they would practice outside. They traveled throughout South Florida to put a season together.
“We were known as gym gypsies after having to go to so many places this year to play,” Mater Academy coach Elsa Lopez said. “This was really against all odds for us.”
But that didn’t stop this team of 10 with just one senior from reaching new heights. After dropping their first two matches of the year to Westminster Christian, the Lions have rattled off eight consecutive victories as they prepare to play for a state title. That includes beating perennial powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas twice, first in a three-set sweep on Oct. 15 to win the district championship and then again in a five-set thriller on Oct. 28 to advance to the regional finals.
“It’s all about hustle,” said sophomore hitter Taylor Pagan, who has been part of a dominant one-two punch on the pins with Alderete all season. “We know we don’t have all the girls that other teams have. We have to work extra hard just to prove to ourselves that we do belong.”
They showed their grit again on Saturday.
They rallied from a 25-22 first-set loss to win Sets 2 and 3 25-22 and 25-21, respectively. Physical and mental fatigue got the best of them in Set 4 as they allowed Fort Myers to jump out to a 7-1 lead that eventually ballooned into double digits and a 25-14 win for Fort Myers to force a winner-take-all Set 5.
Mater Academy jumped up 6-2 in the decisive set, forcing Fort Myers to take a time out. They never looked back.
Pagan and Alderete were Mater Academy’s driving forces on offense Saturday, just like they had been all season. They combined to record 44 of the Lions’ 63 kills on Saturday. Pagan, a sophomore, led the match with 25 kills. Alderete, a junior, had 19 kills and recorded each of Mater Academy’s set-winning points.
▪ Class 3A state semifinal - Miami Christian Westminster Christian 3, West Palm Beach King’s Academy 0: The Warriors are heading back to state for a second consecutive season. Westminster Christian wasted little time defeating King’s Academy, winning in straight sets by scores of 25-18, 25-18, 25-18.
Senior Saskia Hernandez led the way with 18 kills, eight digs, and two blocks. She was one of three players with double-digit kills, joined by senior Sydney Bond (12 kills, 27 assists, seven digs) and sophomore Emily Matias (10 kills, three blocks, three aces). Sophomore Alyah Cadavid (five kills, eight digs, two aces) was also a key contributor.
The Warriors, a perfect 22-0 on the season, will face Ocala Trinity Catholic in the Class 3A state title match at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Cross Country
Belen Jesuit won its 18th consecutive Regional Championship (Region 4-3A) held at the South Fork High School campus on Saturday morning. It is the Wolverines 24th Regional title.
The team scored 19 points in a field that included six teams. The team was led by seniors Javier Vento (15:38) and Aiden Villasuso (16:15). The Wolverines run next Saturday at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee for the FHSAA State Championship, as they try to win their fourth consecutive championship.
This story was originally published November 7, 2020 at 5:40 PM.
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