Nothing comes easy when rivals clash

Courtesy of Tom Owen


October 22, 2009 - In a crucial match that has likely decided DFAL’s (Diablo Foothill Athletic League) Division III volleyball champion, the Miramonte Lady Matadors fought back after losing the first game and defeated the Campolindo Lady Cougars 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 at Campolindo High School in Moraga.

Miramonte Senior Setter and Blocker Mary Diamantidis was poked in the eye during warm-ups and played the entire match with blurred vision.  This didn’t stop Miramonte’s co-captain and court leader from recording 21 assists, 9 kills and 4 blocks.

Campolindo started the game strong and took a commanding 18-11 lead in the first game, with numerous kills from their formidable front row.  6’2” hitter Chandler Moore had three kills in the stretch, while outside hitters  Alex Shurtz and Abbie Noland also recorded kills. Miramonte closed the gap to 23-18, but Campolindo took control and finished the game strong, winning 25-18.  This was the first game that Miramonte has lost in the DFAL league in their ninth match of league play, after winning 8 matches and 24 consecutive games.

The Lady Mats regrouped and came out strong in the second game, taking an early 6-2 lead on consecutive kills by Juliana Stivanicevic, which they never relinquished. The game included several kills by Stivanicevic and an amazing one-handed back-of-the-fist block by Diamantidis of a Campolindo kill with her back to the net! 

The third game can only be described as an epic battle.  Diamantidis opened the score for the Lady Mats on a quick set by Sarah Vaccaro, but she missed the very next point on a hitting error. Miramonte took a 2-1 lead on a Diamantidis block, but she herself was blocked two points later.  The game went on like a see-saw, with a barrage of hits by Stivanicevic and Haley Sayres of Miramonte and Alex Shurtz and Noland of Campolindo, blocks by Diamantidis, Kirsten Rutledge and Audrey Breitweiser of Miramonte and Rachel Eberhart and Anisa Smith  of Campolindo and spectacular digs by Miramonte’s Jane Siri and Lissa Gilbert and Campolindo’s amazing Alessandra Neason.  Neither team led by more than two points as the score was tied again at 17-17.  Stivanicevic then delivered an enormous hit past Neason and proceeded to serve three service winners for a Miramonte 21-17 lead.  Three consecutive Miramonte errors brought the Cougars back to 21-20, but that’s as close as they would get.    Kills by Michelle Ent and Sayres, in between two hitting errors by Campolindo, sealed the victory for Miramonte 25-21.  That seemed to take the wind from Campolindo’s sails.


Miramonte took control of the fourth game early, building a 5-1 lead on four service winners by Sayres.  Campolindo stormed back and took the lead 9-7 on kills by Shurtz and Noland.  After Miramonte tied the score at 9, the teams exchanged points and the score remained tied at 12-12. On the next point, Campolindo’s Middle Blocker Smith unleashed a tremendous hit.  Miramonte’s Vaccaro lunged at the ball and sent it across the net, winning the point for the Lady Matadors.  Vaccaro then served two winners and the tide shifted back to Miramonte who now led 15-12.  Miramonte continued with momentum and built what seemed to be an insurmountable lead at 21-15, aided by two kills each by Sayres and Stivanicevic. 

But Campolindo wasn’t finished.  The Cougars Libero Neason, who defended Miramonte’s attacks with amazing digs all night long, served six consecutive winners to put Campolindo back up in the lead at 22-21.  A kill by Rutledge pulled Miramonte even at 22 all, and Miramonte took the lead back at 23-22 after a Campolido hitting error.  After Campolindo called its final timeout, the Cougars Noland came again to the rescue, tying the score at 23-23. 

Miramonte then got to match point on a simple ball dump over the net by Stivanicevic, which seemed to freeze the entire Campolindo team.  Miramonte’s defensive co-captain Lissa Gilbert served and after a couple of exchanges, Diamantidis sent a towering back set to Sayres who slammed the ball for the final point of the match.  Stivanicevic had 20 kills for the match, followed by Sayres who recorded 11 kills.  Sarah Vaccarro had 23 assists and 10 digs, and Lissa Gilbert and Jane Siri had 15 and 13 digs respectively.

Miramonte is now 16-1 overall and 9-0 in league play, and has a virtual lock in the DFAL title.  The Lady Mats are riding on a 16-game winning streak, and this is the first year in recent memory that they have swept their cross-town rivals.