Wilson def. Millikan, 14-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-13
The Rams came close to another Moore League upset, but the Bruins pulled it together to win on the road. Wilson was down Jake MacRae, who was sidelined by illness, but MacRae still found a way to contribute (more on that later); they were also missing backup setter Spencer Nelson, who injured his hand.
Millikan came out with all the fire and intensity on their side in the first set, but you could see them wearing down with each successive frame. On their fifth point in each set they were: up 5-1, tied 5-5, down 5-8, and down 5-14. They blew the door off the place in the first, roaring out to a big lead, then watching Wilson narrow it before a 7-0 run gave them the Rams 17-10 lead. They held on for the big win, getting anything they wanted in that first set.
The fiery Brandon Fuimaono took the lack of effort personally. “Nobody wanted to play, so I was just trying to get my team involved,” he said.
After the first set, MacRae went to the locker room to change out of his sweats into his uniform. Every time Wilson seemed to be slacking in the second half, Wilson coach Susan Pescar would call him over, as if she were about to put him in. Seeing an ailing team captain ready to come in seemed to spark the Bruins—every time MacRae made to go in, they picked it up.
“Well, you know, sometimes it’s so psychological with this game,” said a smiling Pescar when asked if she was using MacRae as a motivational tool. “I was seriously considering putting him in. It helps too to say, ‘If you want to have any hope of winning or tying for Moore League, you can’t lose this one.'”
The second set saw ties on 12 of the first 14 points, before Wilson broke off a 6-0 run to take a 19-14 lead. Millikan closed late, bringing it to 23-22, but Wilson executed to take the set, then coasted through the final two sets. Through the final point in the fourth set, the starters stayed in and played motivated, a shift from the lackadaisical first, a sign Pescar said that her team respected their competition. “They came back on us in the second,” she pointed out.
Leaders for the Rams were Brad Wilson, with 25 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 digs, and Kilisi Suai with 11 kills. For Wilson it was Fuimaono with 15 kills, 3 aces, 1 block, and 14 digs. Eric Reed had 10 kills, and Cory Leckie had a very good match with 25 assists, 10 kills and 2 blocks.
The win improves Wilson to 5-1, still just one game back of Poly and in sole possession of second place. Millikan is 3-3 with two losses to Wilson and one to Poly, and they’re tied for third place and the final playoff spot with Lakewood. Wilson will visit Poly next Thursday, and Millikan will face Lakewood on Tuesday, May 4th.
Poly def. Cabrillo, 27-25, 25-16, 25-23
Poly kept their loss column tidy with a three-set sweep of the tough Jags, improving to 6-0 in league and 13-8 overall. Junior Stacey WIlliams had 14 kills, libero Luc Sybunroeung had 9 digs and 2 aces, Brenden Togioka had 34 assists, 8 digs, and 1 ace, and Jolon Clark had 10 kills and 5 blocks.
Lakewood def. Jordan 25-10, 25-8, 25-10
The Lancers stayed even with Millikan with a convincing sweep of the Panthers that improves them to 3-3. They visit Poly on Tuesday to try and avenge a home sweep defeat at the hands of the Rabbits.