Sports Update
Incarnate Words with friends: Gonzalez leads JPII past former team before losing in regionals
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
The season came to an end Tuesday night for John Paul II volleyball.
But before that conclusion, which occurred with a sweep in the regional round at the hands of Ursuline at Prestonwood Christian Academy, the Lady Cardinals picked up an unlikely come-from-behind victory Saturday against San Antonio Incarnate Word (18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-17, 16-14).
John Paul, which placed fifth in TAPPS 1-5A, was on the road against district champ Incarnate Word, which meant an unfamiliar gym for many of the Lady Cardinals.
But not all of them.
First-year John Paul head coach Nicki Gonzalez had spent the past six years leading the Lady Shamrocks. During that time, Incarnate Word won four district titles, advanced to the state tournament five times and played in two state finals (2008, 2011).
"I walked in that gym and nothing had changed," Gonzalez said. "I got a chance to talk with some of my old players before the match, because we were all close, but at the same time I think everyone realized we had all gone in a new direction."
Gonzalez's old team showed her new team why they won their district this season and had been a stalwart at state by winning the first two games (25-18, 25-21).
"I think in those first two games we had a lot of hesitation on defense and struggled on the block," Gonzalez said. "But being down two games against this team, I knew I had been put in this situation for a reason and that I could help the girls get out of that hole.
"And we were able to do that, with lot of support from our seniors."
One of those seniors, Katie Prey, helped improve the block alongside sophomore Madison Fitzsimmons. A heavy dose of hitting from junior Jennifer Young, who had 30 kills, as well all-around play from senior Kristen Favre allowed John Paul to take the next two sets (25-23, 25-17).
Young and Favre were at it again in the decisive set.
Terminations by Young and three aces from Favre gave the Lady Cardinals a 10-4 lead in Game 5.
"Being there for so long definitely helped me," Gonzalez said. "I knew Incarnate Word; I had coached some of those girls since they were freshmen, so I knew the personnel and I knew that they would do certain things in certain situations."
The Lady Shamrocks weren't done though, eventually forcing a 13-13 tie and fighting off a match point to knot the score again at 14-14. That was the last point the home team would win though as Young rattled off back-to-back kills to give John Paul the set, 16-14, and area playoff victory. The loss kept Incarnate Word out of regionals for the first time since 2002.
"That was a great match for anyone to watch," Gonzalez said.
And an even better one to win.
"A lot of people underestimated us, even people in our own district," Gonzalez said. "But I knew what this team was capable of and hopefully, with winning this match, the girls have more confidence in their abilities."
That sense of confidence was necessary as John Paul didn't have long to celebrate.
Saturday's win advanced the Lady Cardinals to regionals for the fourth time in five years and a match against Ursuline, which had beaten John Paul twice in district.
"We were back on the court [Monday morning] refocused on the task at hand," Gonzalez said. "This is a team that has given us a run the last two times, so we want to capitalize on things from those last two matches and use them to our advantage this time."
That worked to a certain extent, but not completely on Tuesday as Ursuline won in three sets with the latest victory sending the Lady Bears to state to face Bishop Lynch.
Ursuline also beat John Paul the last time it advanced to regionals in 2010.
"The girls went through a lot this year," Gonzalez said. "They got a new coach and a new system, so to get this far says a lot about them. And that's what we are trying to build here; we want people to expect things from this program that they haven't seen before."
But before that conclusion, which occurred with a sweep in the regional round at the hands of Ursuline at Prestonwood Christian Academy, the Lady Cardinals picked up an unlikely come-from-behind victory Saturday against San Antonio Incarnate Word (18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-17, 16-14).
John Paul, which placed fifth in TAPPS 1-5A, was on the road against district champ Incarnate Word, which meant an unfamiliar gym for many of the Lady Cardinals.
But not all of them.
First-year John Paul head coach Nicki Gonzalez had spent the past six years leading the Lady Shamrocks. During that time, Incarnate Word won four district titles, advanced to the state tournament five times and played in two state finals (2008, 2011).
"I walked in that gym and nothing had changed," Gonzalez said. "I got a chance to talk with some of my old players before the match, because we were all close, but at the same time I think everyone realized we had all gone in a new direction."
Gonzalez's old team showed her new team why they won their district this season and had been a stalwart at state by winning the first two games (25-18, 25-21).
"I think in those first two games we had a lot of hesitation on defense and struggled on the block," Gonzalez said. "But being down two games against this team, I knew I had been put in this situation for a reason and that I could help the girls get out of that hole.
"And we were able to do that, with lot of support from our seniors."
One of those seniors, Katie Prey, helped improve the block alongside sophomore Madison Fitzsimmons. A heavy dose of hitting from junior Jennifer Young, who had 30 kills, as well all-around play from senior Kristen Favre allowed John Paul to take the next two sets (25-23, 25-17).
Young and Favre were at it again in the decisive set.
Terminations by Young and three aces from Favre gave the Lady Cardinals a 10-4 lead in Game 5.
"Being there for so long definitely helped me," Gonzalez said. "I knew Incarnate Word; I had coached some of those girls since they were freshmen, so I knew the personnel and I knew that they would do certain things in certain situations."
The Lady Shamrocks weren't done though, eventually forcing a 13-13 tie and fighting off a match point to knot the score again at 14-14. That was the last point the home team would win though as Young rattled off back-to-back kills to give John Paul the set, 16-14, and area playoff victory. The loss kept Incarnate Word out of regionals for the first time since 2002.
"That was a great match for anyone to watch," Gonzalez said.
And an even better one to win.
"A lot of people underestimated us, even people in our own district," Gonzalez said. "But I knew what this team was capable of and hopefully, with winning this match, the girls have more confidence in their abilities."
That sense of confidence was necessary as John Paul didn't have long to celebrate.
Saturday's win advanced the Lady Cardinals to regionals for the fourth time in five years and a match against Ursuline, which had beaten John Paul twice in district.
"We were back on the court [Monday morning] refocused on the task at hand," Gonzalez said. "This is a team that has given us a run the last two times, so we want to capitalize on things from those last two matches and use them to our advantage this time."
That worked to a certain extent, but not completely on Tuesday as Ursuline won in three sets with the latest victory sending the Lady Bears to state to face Bishop Lynch.
Ursuline also beat John Paul the last time it advanced to regionals in 2010.
"The girls went through a lot this year," Gonzalez said. "They got a new coach and a new system, so to get this far says a lot about them. And that's what we are trying to build here; we want people to expect things from this program that they haven't seen before."
Copyright © 2013 - Star Local News