Albany Knocked Out of Volleyball Championships in Close Match

Albany Falls to Campolindo in NCS Volleyball Semis

It was clear from the first serve Wednesday night that the fans were in for a real catfight as the visiting Cougars from Albany High School took on the Campolindo Cougars in the NCS Division III Volleyball semifinals.

The teams scratched and clawed for every point in a thrilling five-set match that ultimately went Campolindo’s way, 23-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23 and 15-13.

First-seed Campolindo will meet second-seed Bishop O’Dowd in Saturday’s NCS final.

TCAL champion Albany finishes its season 23-4.

A large and boisterous Campo student and parent section greeted a spirited, if not as loud Albany contingent, consisting mostly of parents, some teachers and the men’s basketball team who detoured on the way home from their game to support the volleyball team.

Campolindo’s gym is like playing in a pinball machine.  Throughout the match, Albany and Campo players fielded balls off the low ceiling, light fixtures, basketball backboards and the hardwood floor as they scrapped for every possible point.

In the first set, Campo jumped out to a 7-4 lead, largely on the strength of their hitting and a defense that held Albany in check, including its top hitter Amber Erhahon.  In fact, Campo’s blocking proved to be the difference all night.

Albany kept it close throughout the first set and mounted an improbable run with the score 23-20 Campo.  The Albany Cougars stopped Campo’s momentum, tied the score at 23-23 and went on to take the first set 25-23.

The second set was all Campo as the number-one seed built leads of 10-5, 17-11, ultimately leading to a 25-15 win.

The third set was a neck and neck affair, with neither team able to build much of a lead.  At 14-12, Albany developed a rhythm that it carried until the end and a 25-22 win.

Though the match was already in high gear, the teams slammed the accelerator down for the fourth and fifth sets.

Campo jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the fourth.  Albany fought back largely on the strength of senior Shannon Riggio-Kerley’s hitting to tie the score at 13-13 and build a 19-16 lead.

Senior Anu Munkhtur dug out several rocket blasts from the Campo hitters to keep Albany in the game.

Campo fought back to tie the score at 19 all.  The Campo Cougars stretched the lead to 24-22.  Not giving in, the Albany Cougars saved one set point to bring the score to 24-23.  Unfortunately for Albany, Campo put the next point away to close out the fourth set, 25-23.

The start of the deciding set was all Albany as they jumped out quickly.

Senior Brooke Tannahill hit a beautifully angled smash to stretch the score to 5-1 on the way to a 7-1 Albany advantage.

Campo wouldn’t go away, though.  A block by Amber Erhahon put Albany up 9-5, and a kill by Riggio-Kerley stretched the Albany lead to 10-6.

The Albany momentum stalled at 11-6.  Strong hitting and blocking by Campo and a substitution rotation that kept Albany’s biggest hitters on the bench let Campo back in.

Campo tied the game at 11-11.  Albany sophomore Sarah Obasi stretched the lead to 12-11.

From there it was all Campo.  The top seed knotted the score at 13-13 and closed out the match, and Albany’s season, at 15-13.

Though it is little consolation to the Albany Cougars and their supporters, everyone in attendance clearly knows they saw a special match that highlighted the very best of high school competition.