Westminster Christian’s beach volleyball squad motivated to recapture top spot in state
For Westminster Christian’s beach volleyball team, seeking sources of motivation isn’t a problem.
That applies to the players who were on the Warriors’ indoor team this fall that came so close to capping an unbeaten season with a state title only to be thwarted in the finals by Clearwater Central Catholic.
And many of those same players and others are back on the sand courts this spring and remember too well the disappointing loss in the state quarterfinals last year to Vero Beach that denied them a title.
After losing only two seniors and four players overall, expect Westminster Christian’s motivation to be matched or even topped by its talent once again.
“That’s always our goal (to win a state title),” Westminster Christian beach volleyball coach and alum Sylvia Hernandez said. “But we know it’s not gonna be easy. Everyone (around the state) is getting better and playing in only one classification (for beach volleyball), it’s even tougher.”
Hernandez expects her top pairing on the sand to once again be the sibling tandem of Emily and Zoey Matias, who were the Herald’s Beach Volleyball Players of the Year last season. Emily is a Coastal Carolina commit and Zoey, a sophomore, is drawing attention from colleges. Gigi Artilles, as well as Alyah and Alyssa Cadavid, who were also key on Westminster’s indoor team, are among the top players on the beach squad.
Westminster also added Alex Washington, a talented freshman from Puerto Rico and a crafty lefty, according to Hernandez, to its regular rotation.
The Warriors have several players who were on the team in 2021 when the team won a state title before the sport was sanctioned by the FHSAA a year ago.
“I think these girls know how to get there and what it takes,” Hernandez said. “They have the drive.”
In addition to the Warriors, expect Doral Academy, Lourdes and Riviera Prep to once again be among Miami-Dade County’s top contenders.
In Broward County, St. Thomas Aquinas advanced to the state tournament last season and should be again among South Florida’s best along with regional runner-up Cardinal Gibbons.
The state tournament will once again be held in Tallahassee on the Florida State University campus sand courts on May 5-6.
The district playoffs will be played April 24-27 and the regional play-in matches on May 1 at designated school sites.
MORE TEAM OUTLOOKS
▪ Monsignor Pace is looking to improve off a 4-4 season and has added depth to its roster plus an on-campus sand court. The Spartans will be led by the duo of seniors Janiah Louis and Maegan Sofo. The senior tandem of Savanna Santelices and Jeanelle Pierre will back them up.
▪ La Salle has courts on campus for the first time in years which should help the Royal Lions continue to improve. Sophomore Grace Blanco is La Salle’s top returning player and senior Angelina Cambo is the first four-year beach player for the Royal Lions in school history.
▪ Carrollton is still building up its program on the beach side and hopes to have more of its indoor players participating in the near future. For now, the Cyclones will be led by 5-8 sophomore Luciana Lee and juniors Andrea Lopez, Emma Remy and Ana Mari Bru.
