OREM -- Bend your thumb and index finger until they're nearly touching. That's how close to the state 1-A volleyball championship game the St. Joseph Jayhawks got on Saturday. Instead, they were knocked out of the semifinals in five games by perennial power Monticello at Utah Valley University's UCCU Center.
After narrowly winning Game 1, 25-22, the Jayhawks were poised to capture Game 2 as well, leading 24-21 and needing only a single point to win the game. But the Buckaroos mounted a furious comeback, scoring four straight points to take a one-point lead. The Jayhawks then tied it at 25-25, but Monticello closed it out by scoring the next two points to win 27-25.
St. Joseph then won a marathon Game 3, 28-26 to take a 2-1 lead, but from there the wheels fell off, losing Games 4 and 5, 25-13, 15-7. All the momentum the Jayhawks had after Game 3 was gone. And instead of jubilation, heartbreak.
"We were so close," Jayhawks' coach Ray Franklin said. "I told the girls before we even played that it was probably going to go five, that it was going to be a dogfight. And it was. We just kind of lost steam there in the fourth game."
Britt Sederholm led St. Joseph with 26 kills, seven digs, five aces and a solo block, while Samantha Bishoff added 12 digs and eight kills. Danielle Shinaut had 14 digs, two kills and two aces and Maddy White had 20 digs for the Jayhawks. Emmie Oliver finished with 35 set assists to go along with seven digs and three aces.
Franklin acknowledged that the effort was there, but it was hard to get momentum back after a rough fourth game.
"This game is an emotional game," he said. "It's up and down and one team can get the momentum at any point. I thought our girls played hard, played with heart. They did the best that they could. I think we did a great job competing in this tournament. I'm proud of them."
In the other 1-A semifinal match, Rich made quick work of Layton Christian Academy, sweeping the Eagles 25-8, 25-12, 25-15.
The Rebels scored the first nine points of the match and the shell-shocked Eagles never put up much of a fight.
"It's hard to come in and compete against a team that is so used to winning," LCA coach Angie Hopes said. "I just don't think our girls were mentally prepared to step up and face that. We just couldn't get anything going. But these girls are unbelievable. We were glad to be here."
Layton Christian, the surprise semifinalists, was led by senior Melina Bachtar, who had 12 kills. Emily Jessop added four kills, three digs and an ace.
St. Joseph and Layton Christian met later Saturday afternoon to determine third and fourth place. It was the teams' fourth meeting of the year, and just as in the previous three, the Jayhawks came out on top, giving them a third-place finish, their best tournament result in 31 years.
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