Tuesday, Nov. 8 was electric as the stands were filled with SAC supporters and the lights were shining bright, the stage for the second round in the SoCal Regionals was set. The SAC volleyball team would face the Ventura Pirates in what would be a thrilling 3-1 win for SAC, pushing them into the finals.

The first set was a blow out as SAC would start the game by giving the Pirates no chance in coming back. Winning 25-10. SAC had their foot all the way down on the gas pedal and didn’t seem to want to let up going into set 2.

“Our chemistry and our connection off the court really translate onto the court,” sophomore middle blocker and opposite hitter Eva Fisher (21) said. “We’re doing whatever it takes and willing to do whatever it takes to keep playing with each other.”

The second set saw the Pirates wake up, almost as if cold water was thrown onto them, because it was like a whole different team playing during the second set. The Pirates would go back and forth with SAC as players such as sophomore libero Maya Tiscareno (20), freshman setter Morgan Wilson (11), and sophomore outside hitter and opposite hitter Sydney Valentine (9) would help SAC stay alive and tie things up 24-24. It was do or die for this set and the Pirates didn’t want to die, scoring the next two points back to back, winning the second set.

“[There’s] always room to improve on,” sophomore outside hitter and opposite hitter Emma Carson (10) said. “I think my servicing definitely could have been better.”

It was 1-1 going into the third set, both teams were warmed up and showed they had that dog in em’. The biggest question was who had the bigger dog em’, who was going to leave it all out there on the court?!

In the third set, the Pirates and SAC were both ready to take the lead but couldn’t get the edge over one another. This set would look identical to the second set majority of the time until SAC started to show more fury, breaking away, and winning the third set 25-21 with sophomore setter Isabella Ross (7) and Carson (10) scoring the last points of the set.

SAC is only one win away from going into the finals of the SoCal Regionals.

“Other than being amazing athletes, they’re amazing people,” assistant coach Riannel Arevalo said, “there’s nothing more that I want for them [just] to go to the finals…just to compete”.

SAC would take the energy that carried them in set 1 straight into set 4 as they would start off hot, scoring 6-1 before the first timeout. Carson (10) was involved in four of the six points that SAC scored in their hot start. The Pirates wouldn’t just lay down though, as they would score 10 points before the following timeout to make sure the game stayed close.

“I try to just pick it up as much as I can, do my best” Carson (10) said. “I just put my best out there as much as I can.”

The Pirates weren’t going out without a fight as they would stay close scoring three points as SAC was only one point away from winning it all. SAC called a timeout to regroup, having one more team talk before sealing the game close.

After SAC called their last timeout, everyone on the team knew the play to close the game.

With SAC having so much fire power from the likes of freshman hitter Tatum Hardaway (16), Fisher (21), Valentine (9), Carson (10), and even freshman outsider hitter and opposite hitter Yaretzi Silva (12), who was heavily wrapped up on her left hip and leg, knew that this could be the moment that could take them to the promise land.

The finals.

The play was set. All Tiscareno (20) had to do was throw the ball up and one of her teammates would strike and that’s exactly what happened. Carson (10) saw her chance to punch home the win from the ball given by Tiscareno (20) and scored the final point. Giving her team and the SAC supporters a rush of joy that shook the gym.

“All of us players on the court were fueled by [the crowd] it,” Fisher (21) said, “whether we’re down or up, just the cheering and the support, it helps us get through these long games.

SAC will be going to the finals on Nov. 29 where they will face the LA Mission Eagles and also, with a win, advance to the State Championship for the first time in team history.

“The fire, the fight, it’s just overflowing with this team,” coach Arevalo said, “I’m proud of everything they’ve accomplished, and we keep that fire going, we’re gonna go all the way.”