Water Polo wins 14-10 over Palm Springs in first round CIF, Girls Volleyball looks toward Saturday.
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HEMET — Briana Williams calls her Hemet High girls volleyball team a “well-oiled machine.” However, even a well-oiled machine can use a good swift kick every now and then. There was little drama in Hemet’s 25-16, 25-6, 25-14 victory over Twentynine Palms in the second round of the Division 4AA playoffs. And when drama did threaten to break out, Williams was a key figure in making sure it died quickly. After Hemet (20-5) had rolled to a stunningly easy second-set victory in just 15 minutes, the Bulldogs found themselves with a fight on their hands in the third. A strong effort by Twentynine Palms middle blocker Alex Herrera and some unforced errors by Hemet had the Bulldogs down for much of the third set. Williams has been battling a torn muscle in her stomach. She had been fairly quiet in the first two sets, came up with a series of athletic plays and four of her eight kills as the Bulldogs regained control against the Wildcats (15-8). “I was getting frustrated,” Williams said. “I had a sense we were relaxing a little and you just can’t relax ever. I just felt like someone’s got to do it. We’ve got to get back that intensity.” As for the pain in her stomach, Williams said, “I didn’t really feel it much. I think the adrenaline kicked in.” Hemet closed the match on a 14-1 run. In addition to Williams, Bailee Huizenga came up with a big save and a big block, and Kaylee Deemer closed the match with six service points, including two winners and a clean ace. Victory in the first two sets was orchestrated by junior setter Tristan Self, who fed her teammates as if it were a hitting drill. With Self putting the ball on a tee, Shelbi Skinner finished with nine kills, Williams and Baylee Christian had eight each and Huizenga had seven. “I try to spread it around,” Self said. “That’s the great thing this year is that I have so many options. I can really mix it up.” Said Hemet coach Janie Washburn: “Tristan is very aware of what’s going on all the time. She knows who’s ready to hit and where people are. She just has total court awareness.”