Divine Savior volleyball advances, appears primed for breakthrough run to state
Kayla Lopes has been looking at the picture for years when she walks into her school’s gym at Divine Savior Academy in Doral.
The large portrait displayed near the top of the wall behind the volleyball court shows her former coach, Matt Willems, and members of the 2018 Sharks girls’ volleyball team celebrating with the state championship trophy after making school history that year.
If you ask Lopes, she is confident another similar portrait of her and her teammates will be hanging beside it soon.
“Since the first practice, we’ve had that feeling that we were going to win,” Lopes said. “It’s taken a lot of training and a lot of practice, but I feel like our chemistry is going to get us through.”
The 2018 state title was Divine Savior’s first ever.
The Sharks are having their best season since that triumphant one, and appear to have their best team since as well.
Divine Savior is 27-1 and gave another demonstration of its prowess on Tuesday by cruising past Somerset South Homestead 25-11, 25-15, 25-18 in a Region 4-2A quarterfinal on its home court.
“They’re hungry,” Divine Savior coach Jorge Perez said. “They knew last year they had a shot and they let it go, but they don’t want that to happen again this year.”
The Sharks advanced to the regional semifinals where they will host Riviera Prep at 1 on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks beat Riviera in three sets on Sept. 30. A win would place Divine Savior one victory from the state final four and potentially in a matchup against either reigning state champion Westminster Christian or True North next Tuesday, Oct. 28.
While not trying to look past any opponents, Divine Savior knows exactly who its biggest obstacle still is if it wants to accomplish its objective.
The Sharks have been eliminated in the regional finals each of the past four seasons by Westminster and from the playoffs overall for five consecutive seasons.
The Warriors, meanwhile, have gone on to advance to the state final six years in a row and won that elusive third state title in program history last season.
“We feel like this is our last chance as seniors, and it’s always been them (in our way),” Lopes said. “I feel like this year, we’re leaving with a feeling of winning.”
Lopes is one of several Divine Savior players, who have played together since their youth club volleyball days and for the past two or more seasons on the Sharks’ roster.
Senior outside hitter Luiza Bergamaschi and her sister, Fernanda, a senior setter, as well as senior outside Ruth Martinez, senior setter Vicky Gutierrez and junior outside Sasha Kawas, who did not play in Tuesday’s game while playing in an international tournament.
“Our team does a pretty good job looking at one game at a time,” Bergamaschi said.
Gutierrez added: “Everyone here is really dedicated, and it shows on the court.”
Martinez is committed to the University of Miami while Lopes is committed to play for Towson University and Luiza Bergamaschi is committed to Bryant University. Kawas hasn’t committed yet, but is being recruited by multiple Division-I schools.
Perez was hired before last season after Willems stepped down to serve solely as the school’s athletic director after juggling both roles during his time coaching the volleyball program.
Perez’s experience, having been an assistant on multiple state-qualifying teams at Palmer Trinity and head coach at St. Brendan during its recent final four trip in 2022, has been pivotal for the Sharks, as well as his familiarity with several of his former club players.
“These girls know each other a little bit more,” Perez said. “Ruth was getting accustomed to the whole group last year, but now she’s comfortable and their connection has progressed throughout the season. That’s something that’s going really well for us.”
MORE RESULTS
Region 4-3A quarterfinals: Monsignor Pace d. Coral Springs Charter 25-16, 27-25, 14-25, 23-25, 15-11; Pine Crest d. Calvary Christian 25-12, 25-16, 25-19; Gulliver d. NSU University School 25-12, 25-9, 25-11; Boca Raton St. Andrews d. La Salle 25-14, 25-14, 25-17
Region 4-2A quarterfinals: Riviera Prep d. Florida Christian 25-21, 15-25, 25-22, 25-19; Westminster Christian d. Chaminade-Madonna 25-10, 25-13, 25-11; True North d. Palmer Trinity, 25-18, 25-20, 25-12
Region 4-1A quarterfinals: Westwood Christian d. Highlands Christian 25-23, 27-25, 25-21; West Palm Beach Atlantic Christian d. Sagemont 23-25, 25-10, 16-25, 25-21, 15-7; Boca Raton Christian d. Cushman 25-7, 25-8, 25-14.
