Harvard Advances in Volleyball

It seemed everyone in the gym knew where the set was going. From the Harvard High student with a gorilla mask over his head to the players on Windward’s bench, as soon as Harvard setter Nick Wootton threw the ball up, everyone’s eyes turned to the crimson red No. 10.

“C’mon, Bobby,” the fans yelled each time Wootton moved under the ball and tossed it to Bobby Hillman in Saturday’s Southern Section 3-A Division volleyball playoff match at Harvard.

Nine times out of 10, the fans were right and the set went to Hillman. And, it seemed, 99 times out of 100, Hillman crushed a successful spike as Harvard defeated Windward, 15-6, 15-10, 15-1.

Harvard (17-2) will meet the winner of the Brentwood-Mater Dei match Tuesday in the 3-A quarterfinals at a site to be determined.

Hillman finished with 30 kills, remarkable considering 30 kills is an impressive amount for a hitter in a five-game match. But Harvard Coach Mark Zalin was quick to point out the contributions of Hillman’s teammates.

“He had a good night, but we’re not a one-man team by any means,” Zalin said.

Yet Hillman, a 6-3 senior, not only had eight more kills than his teammates combined, but on the few occasions Wootton’s set was for someone else, the Wildcats were too worried about Hillman to pay attention to the other hitter.

“If they keep on Hillman, it leaves the other guys open,” Zalin said.

Of course, Windward (19-6) rarely had to worry about anyone other than Hillman. And Hillman, it seemed, rarely worried about Windward.

“Bobby’s a complete hitter,” Zalin said. “He reads everything, every block. He’s a very smart hitter. He’ll hit over a block, off a block or use a block. He’ll do whatever it takes to get kills.”

Windward missed 18 serves, including nine by Josh Chinn on low-percentage jump and side-arm serves.