Westminster Christian volleyball finds perspective on path to potential return to state
During the Westminster Christian girls’ volleyball team’s playoff match on Tuesday night, junior Zoey Matias went crashing into the stands.
Matias hit her knee and was down for a few seconds. But the Warriors’ junior libero/outside hitter shook it off and rejoined the match.
The resilience was symbolic of the kind Westminster had to muster this offseason after a fourth consecutive season ended with its state championship hopes dashed in the state finals.
Last year’s loss to Clearwater Central Catholic stung even more since it not only cost the Warriors what would have been their third title in a decade, but also a perfect season.
Almost a year later, Westminster is well on its way to a potential march back to state, taking another big step at home Tuesday with a 25-12, 25-17, 25-18 over Miami Palmer Trinity in a Region 4-3A quarterfinal.
The Warriors (21-8) will look to take another step to state on Friday when they host Doral Divine Savior in the regional semifinals.
The Warriors have been the standard for consistent winning in South Florida volleyball, advancing to the state final four nine times in the past 12 seasons and securing state titles in 2013 and 2016.
But last year’s setback left them searching for answers to why they haven’t been able to win that elusive title.
Westminster coach Julie Doan and her players and fellow coaches found perspective by talking to several coaches on the collegiate level and Team USA as well as coaches from other sports including Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
“They all said the same thing, there really isn’t a problem,” Doan said. “It’s just sometimes everything needs to line up properly to win it all. It really gave us some perspective that what we’ve done is really cool. Of course, we want to win a state championship. But it’s important we continue to play and stick to what we believe in and continue to get better.”
The Warriors entered the season without some of their roster mainstays during that four-year run of state runner-up finishes including outside hitters Emily Matias and Gaby Arroyo.
Westminster Christian took some lumps during the early part of the season. But after two months, the Warriors appear to have hit their stride and have emerged from the early adjustment period still as one of the top teams in the state.
Westminster Christian is ranked 10th overall in the state regardless of classification, which is second-highest for a South Florida team behind Class 4A Gulliver Prep (sixth).
Warriors are the fourth-highest seed in Class 3A, but would be the No. 2 seed if they reach the state final four this season. The three higher-seeded teams - Tampa Carrollwood Day, Clearwater Calvary Christian and Tampa Berkeley Prep - all play in the same region leaving only one able to reach the state final four.
Against the Falcons (11-11), the Warriors’ returning starters led the way as Matias, a University of Missouri commit, finished with six kills and 16 digs on the defensive end. Sophomore Gigi Artilles, a Division-I prospect, totaled 19 kills and seven digs while setter Alyssa Cadavid set the pace with 27 assists, three aces and three kills.
“One of the best things our team had for years was our serve-receive and we lost two of our best players who are doing great on the Division-I level,” Doan said. “Zoey is incredible and we leaned on her a lot and her work ethic sets the tone for us every day.”
Westminster’s experienced players have meshed with younger players such as Jaz Nicolas (six kills), Alexa Essig (five kills) and Cassie Thomas (18 service points, three aces, six digs), who have all become key contributors this year.
“We finally look like Westminster volleyball,” Doan said. “It took us a while but we’re finally hitting our stride as of three or four weeks ago. We’re always looking for ways to get better. It took us two months to get to it, but who cares, as long as we got there.”
MORE REGION QUARTERFINALS
Region 4-4A: Gulliver Prep d. Miami La Salle 25-8, 25-9, 25-12; Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest d. Miami Mater Lakes 25-16, 25-8, 25-11; Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons d. Miami St. Brendan 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 15-9; Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian d. Coconut Creek North Broward Prep 23-25, 25-21, 25-15, 19-25, 15-13.
Region 4-3A: Divine Savior d. Miami Riviera Prep 25-17, 25-23, 25-23; Miami Ransom Everglades d. Miami Country Day 25-15, 25-13, 25-18; Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy d. Miami Carrollton 25-15, 25-23, 25-16.
Region 4-2A: Miami Archbishop Carroll d. Miami True North, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23; Weston Sagemont d. Lake Worth Christian, 26-24, 25-22, 23-25, 25-14; Boca Raton Christian d. Hollywood Sheridan Hills Christian 25-6, 25-8, 25-9; Jupiter Christian d. Pompano Beach Highlands Christian 25-8, 25-14, 25-13.
REGIONAL SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE
Thursday - Region 4-4A: Cardinal Gibbons at Pine Crest, 5
Friday - Region 4-4A: Calvary Christian at Gulliver, 7; Region 4-3A: Divine Savior at Westminster Christian, 5; Westminster Academy at Ransom Everglades, 5; Region 4-2A: Sagemont at Jupiter Christian, 7; Archbishop Carroll at Boca Raton Christian, 7.
This story was originally published October 24, 2023 at 9:38 PM.
