BY ALLAN STEELE
HEMET— Call it jitters, a case of nerves, or just being out of sync. Whatever it was, the Hemet volleyball team had it bad Saturday night. Making matters worse for the Bulldogs was that Indio Shadow Hills, the De Anza League champion, proved too good not to capitalize on Hemet’s sluggish start in the Division 4AA quarterfinal match. And then things started to change. “We just told them to get their act together and play their game,” Hemet coach Janie Washburn said after the Bulldogs overcame a first-set deficit, then poured it on for a 25-19, 25-12, 25-12 victory. Top-seeded Hemet improved to 21-1 and advances to the semifinals. The victory looked in doubt early as the Knights, who had won 12 straight, jumped out to an 18-15 lead in the first set. Even though the score was relatively close, Hemet looked out of sorts and uncharacteristically rattled at times. Purple-clad Shadow Hills fans made the trip and were boisterous for most of the match. Washburn said the message to her team was simple. “I think we just came out a little bit tense and these girls just needed to calm down and realize they just had to play their game,” she said. A kill by Baylee Christian tied the first set at 19-19 and then Mallory Marcus followed with another for the lead and the match turned. Hemet closed with a 7-0 run, and much to the delight of the Hemet fans, never trailed again. By the third set, the body language told the story. Players from Shadow Hills (22-4) had their heads down and Hemet looked rejuvenated after the slow start. “Toward the end of the first set we got our rhythm back and played how we usually play,” said Taylor VanZee, who finished with 16 digs. “We take deep breaths and say calm down and that’s what we did and it helped a lot,” added Christian, who finished with 20 kills, and along with Marcus (11 kills) helped get the offense back on track. The team may have also benefited from its experience of playing for a fourth consecutive CIF title and handling the pressure of the playoffs. After winning the first set, the Bulldogs looked efficient, moving the ball around and playing stellar defense. By that time, Washburn said she recognized the team that hasn’t dropped a set in the past 13 matches. “By the start of the second set it was ‘OK, they got this.’ They calmed down and played their game and I knew we would be fine.” Senior Tristan Self finished with 32 assists and 14 digs. Follow Allan Steele on Twitter at @asteele12000 NOTEBOOK
Hemet freshman earns her time
The Hemet volleyball roster is loaded with upperclassmen and the experience has proven invaluable during the team’s push for another CIF title. And then there’s Grace Johnson, the lone freshman on the team. She’s found her niche coming off the bench and is taking each match as a learning experience. “It’s definitely been a challenge, but I’ve learned so much from the upperclassmen and I’ve gotten way better and I can’t wait to see what happens at the end of the season,” Johnson said. Players worked out over the summer and Johnson proved she was capable of playing with the Bulldogs’ varsity. Most of Hemet’s seniors and juniors have played together even prior to high school and the team’s bond is evident. The seniors have also been driven on winning a fourth championship. Johnson’s reaction when she made the varsity squad? “I was scared out of my mind,” she said. “I didn’t know anyone on the team and I didn’t know what it would be like. I’d never been to high school … it was just different.” But by the time school started Johnson said she felt welcomed and more comfortable. “It’s been good,” she said.