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State volleyball: Tampa Bay HEAT battles, falls short of final

 
Published Nov. 5, 2016

TAMPA — Tampa Bay HEAT coach Mark Kachurak said the hope every year is to get a little bit better. His HEAT did that Saturday, an opening-set win off of Gainesville St. Francis Catholic in a Class 3A state semifinal. A year ago in this same round, but in Class A, the HEAT was swept by Ocala St. John Lutheran.

But despite a heartfelt battle in the fourth set, the HEAT could not hold off the visiting Wolves, as St. Francis advanced next Saturday's final, winning 23-25, 25-18, 25-17, 30-28.

"You always want to improve from the year before, and I guess we got our first game win in a state semifinal," Kachurak said. "But this is a glass half-empty, half-full situation and right now it's really tough."

HEAT (16-8) senior Catherine Trueheart had a match-high 29 kills, including nine in the third set. St. Francis (23-3) made some strong in-match adjustments after defensive specialist Madison Mazon collided with the wall in the first set. The Wolves turned to Darya Rajaee at libero for the rest of the match, but Mazon was able to mix in off the bench midway through the second set and recorded four aces.

The rotation change did throw a slight wrinkle for the Wolves as it meant more bench time for junior Brandis Smith in the match. When on the court, however, Smith proved effective with both power and finesse, finishing with 15 kills and five blocks.

"We were a little nervous and concerned in having to change our rotation," St. Francis coach Jesus Montalvo said. "Thank God our team was able to not let the emotions (of being) on the road get the best of us."

The final set saw the HEAT battle off game point three times, even taking advantage at 27-26, but a final ace from Amanda Falck ended the team's run.

"We've been up and down all season and I told them after Game 3, 'You've shown so much heart; I know you aren't going to die now,' " Kachurak said. "They were so close, and with those last couple points right there, it's especially tough for this to end."

Wolves outside hitter Abby Benton led St. Francis with 18 kills.

"Abby is a senior and she has been with me for three years, and we know when we need to score a point she's that bigger hitter for us," Montalvo said.

For the HEAT, Abigail Casiano had 14 kills and nine blocks, while being an emotional spark plug.

"You always know what you are going to get from (Trueheart and Casiano)," Kachurak said. "We just weren't passing them ball well enough to get other people involved and we got too predictable. They are too good a team to do that against."