Warriors split first two girls' volleyball matches

The CIF San Diego Section allowed girls' volleyball matches to begin in the second week of March, and the Fallbrook High School girls split their first two matches.

The Warriors lost in five games March 12 at home against Mount Carmel High School but defeated Vista High School in five sets at home March 15.

"It's been interesting and fun," Fallbrook coach Jason Dale said of the consecutive five-game matches.

Normally, girls' volleyball is a fall sport. Coronavirus precautions delayed the start of all CIF sports for the 2020-2021 season. Tryouts and practices for the Fallbrook teams began March 3.

"I'm just grateful that we can have a season," Dale said.

Dale cut a couple of first-year seniors, who are not eligible to play at the junior varsity level, but did not cut any junior varsity players. Fallbrook's varsity roster consists of 10 girls, and 11 girls are on the JV squad.

"For the most part everyone is playing their position," Dale said. "I need some help in the middle."

The ability to adjust to another position doesn't provide the height which contributes to the success of a middle blocker.

The 10 varsity players consist of two seniors, two juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen. Five of those players were on the 2019 varsity.

"We're a young team, but they played so hard," Dale said.

That effort mitigated the five-game loss to Mount Carmel.

"It was wonderful," Dale said. "It could have been a little bit better. We could have won."

Mount Carmel won the first game by a 26-24 overscore.

"That's as close as it gets," Dale said.

Dale said that the lead changed several times in that set.

"The first game was just a nail-biter," he said.

The Sundevils prevailed in the 25-13 second game.

"We did not play well," Dale said.

Fallbrook then won 25-19 and 25-21 sets to force a tie breaking fifth game to 15 points.

"The last one we got off to a really bad start," Dale said.

Mount Carmel took a 10-1 lead in the deciding game.

"Nothing was going right for us," Dale said. "We couldn't get anything together."

The final score was 15-7, giving Mount Carmel three games won and thus the match victory.

"It was just a bummer," Dale said.

Dale identified deficiencies from the first match.

"We need to work a little more on our offense and our serving," he said.

The comeback after being behind two games to none indicates a positive attitude.

"A lot of it was an incredible effort," Dale said. "They never give up on a ball. They're running after everything."

The match against Vista was Fallbrook's final non-league competition of the season as girls' volleyball will not have CIF playoffs for 2020-2021, nor are tournaments allowed, so the Warriors entered Valley League play with a win.

"It was very exciting, just like Friday's match except we got the victory this time," Dale said.

Fallbrook took a 25-20 triumph in the first game.

"It was very close," Dale said.

The Panthers prevailed in the 25-20 second game and in the 27-25 third set.

"We were behind again two to one," Dale said.

A 25-21 Fallbrook victory in game four led to the winner-take-all set.

"This time we were up big pretty much the whole way," Dale said.

Fallbrook took a 5-0 lead, and the Warriors were on the preferred end of the 15-9 final score.

"It was the opposite scenario of what happened on Friday," Dale said. "We played consistent, good, clean volleyball. The last two sets were some of the best I've seen my team play."

Two of Fallbrook's sophomores, setter Annie Riley and middle blocker Bailee Aguila, were also on the varsity last year. Dale uses a 6-2 formation in which setters also hit, so Riley led the team with 12 kills and with 15 digs while adding six assists and three serving aces. Aguila had five solo blocks and five assisted blocks, and she also had a team-leading five aces.

The Warriors' other setter, freshman Claire Nordeen, had 12 assists and added seven kills. Junior libero Michelle Pineda contributed 12 digs and junior outside hitter Ashylnn Craven recorded 11 digs.

For the 2020-2021 girls' volleyball season the Valley League consists of Fallbrook, Mission Hills, Ramona, Rancho Buena Vista, San Pasqual and Valley Center. The Valley League teams will play each other only once during the season rather than playing each other both at home and on the road.

"It's just a pleasure to coach them. It's going to be a lot of fun," Dale said.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].