MSN1109

32 | November 9, 2017 | Malibu surfside news Sports
malibusurfsidenews.com
Girls Volleyball
Sharks impress as they continue in tourney play
Ryan Flynn
Freelance Reporter
The postseason is “a
whole different game” according
to coach Jenna
Pierson, but through one
week her team looks like
the same old Sharks.
The epic run continues
for Malibu girls volleyball,
who won all three Division
VIII postseason matches
last week to advance to the
California Interscholastic
Federation Southern Sectional
final for the first time
in school history. They’ve
survived and advanced
through three rounds so
far, and the team’s 23-game
win streak is alive and well.
Malibu was to next play
in the semifinals on Tuesday,
Nov. 7, on the road
against Capistrano Valley
Christian. A win there
would take them to the CIF
championship game.
Victories over their first
two opponents, Milken
Community and Trinity
Classical Academy, came in
straight sets. In the opening
game, senior Josie Bassett
was everywhere: you’d have
thought there was two of her.
Bassett was running and diving
for the ball all night. She
converted several incredible
shots including one instance
where the ball came at her at
an odd angle and she had no
choice but to react by punching
it over the net.
“I guess I have fast reflexes,”
Bassett said.
The Sharks stuck to the
formula that has worked
all year: defense, communication
and a whole lot of
Frenchie Gettings. The tall
senior outside hitter was
again stellar. Gettings is able
to hit her kill shots with velocity
but also seems to be
The Sharks huddle in celebration after winning three of four matches over Ocean View Saturday, Nov. 4, during the CIF Division VIII quarterfinal at
Malibu High. Photos by Suzy Demeter/22nd Century Media
aiming for particular spots,
like a tennis player. The
baseball adage is “hit ‘em
where they ain’t,” and her
accuracy allows her to do
just that.
Milken boasted two very
strong outside hitters. They
did hit hard, Pierson said,
but the Sharks defense was
harder.
“We just adjusted to everything
that they did. We’ve
scouted them before, and
made sure that Frenchie was
on their best outside hitter to
shut them down,” Pierson
said. “Everything that they
did, the girls just adjusted and
it made all the difference.”
After the 3-0 victory at
home against Milken and a
3-0 away win at Trinity Classical
Academy, the Sharks
came home Saturday, Nov.
4, to face Ocean View in
the quarterfinals. In the first
set, Malibu encountered the
scariest moment of the season:
an injury to Gettings.
The senior hurt her ankle
with the Sharks up 20-11.
Ocean View immediately
went on a run, winning the
first set 26-24. Gettings returned
in the second set and
played the remainder of the
match. The Sharks swept the
next three sets 25-19, 25-18
and 25-21 to punch their
ticket to the semifinals.
“It’s amazing,” Bassett
said. “We all work so well
together and we’ve done so
well as a team. Hopefully
we can keep this momentum.
We’re going to go big
or go home.”
Malibu’s Sophie Bassett (left) and Skyla Towner block during the CIF quarterfinal game
at home.