The No. 8 Gavilan volleyball team (18-8) will host No. 9 Taft (17-7) in the first round of the North Regional playoffs at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
With two Gavilan teams in the playoffs, the Gavilan campus is buzzing with excitement.
“Getting to play in front our home crowd, we are super excited,” said coach Kevin Kramer. “Several of our old players will be in town during the Thanksgiving week. Just looking forward to a really good turnout.”
There are always distractions when hosting a playoff game, but the Rams are prepared and ready, Kramer said.
“We just want to make sure the girls are focused on the game rather than on all the bells and whistles,” he said.
One of those distractions is the rumor about who will sing the National Anthem. Kramer confirmed it was “a new addition to our staff” but wouldn’t say who.
The teams met earlier in the season during a Gavilan-hosted tournament. The Rams won in three games, but Taft was without its starting setter, who broke her foot. With her back in the lineup, the Rams can’t take Taft lightly, Kramer said.
“I am sure it will be a more refined team than we saw last time,” he said. “They have gotten better. They have taken some of the top teams in the conference to the limit. They are playing good ball right now. It is a very interesting matchup – probably the most competitive game out of all the playoff matches going on (on Tuesday).”
The game of volleyball is a game of momentum and a number of factors can affect its outcome, Kramer said.
“Playing once doesn’t really determine anything,” he said. “To me it is a 50-50 crap shoot because you still have to show up ready to play.”
Four Gavilan players were named to the First Team All-Coast Conference – Jessica Stoer, Kayondra Hood, Kayce Stocko and Sabina Gerard, who was also the conference MVP.
“We’re hitting this game about the right time,” Kramer said. “They’re all in a good mindset. I don’t think we’ve reached our peak yet.”
