Jesuit’s varsity volleyball team won state on Saturday November 9th. The number 1 Saders faced number 2 Oregon City. The stage was set for a rematch of last year’s state championship where Jesuit reversed swept Oregon City in a thrilling game to 5 sets.
Jesuit faced Oregon City earlier this season at the West Linn tournament in October, where Jesuit won 2-0, giving them confidence going into the state finals this year. In this tournament Jesuit found much success, even with first team hitter Sadie Ross out for the weekend. Iman Foster and Julia Paulson stepped up in this tournament, which was translated to the Saders success in the state tournament, even with Sadie Ross playing.
“I feel like it was very relieving especially after the state championship being so close last year, going into the final, we knew we could handle business and beat Oregon City,” Foster said.
The Jesuit team found their rhythm, sweeping Gresham first round, South Eugene second round, and Grant in the Quarterfinals. In the semi finals Jesuit faced a strong Nelson team, with last year’s first team all tournament hitter Madi Andrews.
The Hawks played a flawless first set and beat the Saders, being only the 3rd team in Oregon to take a set off Jesuit. Jesuit battled back, winning the next three sets. The 4th set was close, however, Jesuit narrowly won 28-26. The Saders ran out of substitutions that set, forcing defensive specialists Kiana Johnson and Julia Paulson to hit in the front row.
Following the semifinals, the next day, Jesuit started the finals at 6pm. This match was heavily awaited and fans from both Jesuit and Oregon City piled in Forest Grove high school’s gym to watch.
Jesuit came out with fire and Sadie Ross turned it on earning kill after kill. Ross was unstoppable along with Iman Foster who blocked senior hitter Paige Thies early in the first set. The Saders won 25-21 and continued their dominant play in the second set winning 25-16. With only one set left to win, Jesuit tried to pull off a sweep. Thies came out swinging and got past Jesuit’s block. Jesuit lost the 3rd set 18-25.
”I think we kind of all had the feeling that they were going to try and reverse sweep us like we did to them last year, but we had trained so much and had a lot of confidence in ourselves so we were able to bounce back and finish out the game,” Kiana Johnson said.
It was a must win situation for the pioneers and a chance for the Saders to win their ninth state title. Jesuit fought back against Oregon City and gained a lead early. Jada Johnson ripped balls down the line while the Jesuit’s back row wasn’t letting anything drop. In the last point of the match, Addy Azavedo made a diving play forcing Jackie Carle to send a free ball over to the pioneers. Oregon City didn’t handle free ball well and the setter couldn’t get to it in time. Jesuit won 25-15 in the last set and won back to back state titles.
“It was a really great way to go out and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to have done it with,” Hayden McGehee said.
