PREP VOLLEYBALL STATE PLAYOFFS : Nordhoff Bows to Yosemite in Quarterfinals

Nordhoff High took the long road to the quarterfinals of the state Division IV girls’ volleyball playoffs, and the route proved to be one game too long for the Rangers on Saturday night in a 6-15, 15-7, 11-15, 15-8, 15-9 loss to Oakhurst Yosemite.

Seemingly in control after winning the first and third games, Nordhoff (16-3) lost momentum in games two and four. And when the match came down to a deciding fifth game, Yosemite’s defense proved too much.

“We let them in the door in the second game,” Nordhoff Coach Cheryl Glass said. “I really think the first four or five points of the second (game) were a factor the rest of the way.”

With its defense sparkling behind the digging of Joanna Sandefur and Sarah Wright and its offense clicking behind the hitting of Alison Nofrey, Kortney Rogers and Sami Sawyer, Nordhoff raced to a 6-2 first-game lead and was not headed.

But Nordhoff fell behind, 3-0, in the second game as Yosemite (26-1) rallied behind the play of 6-foot-3 middle blocker Staci Hintze. Hintze, who led the Badgers with 20 kills and 10 blocks, took control of the net in game two as Yosemite evened the score.

The Rangers regained momentum in the third game, battling back from a 7-1 deficit to tie the match, 2-2 in games, with Nofrey and Sawyer leading Nordhoff’s cause from the service line.

With the score tied, 11-11, a Rogers kill gave the Rangers a sideout and Nordhoff closed out the game on consecutive aces by Sawyer and resounding hits by Rogers and Allison Kerr.

Just when it appeared that Nordhoff was ready to travel the six hours back to Ojai with a victory, Yosemite came off the deck once more.

Hintze had four kills as the Badgers took a quick 5-1 lead in the third game and were never headed.

Glass changed her rotation for the final game, putting Rogers in the front row and Nofrey in the back row in an effort to get more offense.

But instead of generating more of an attack, Nordhoff’s offense ground to a halt. With Hintze accounting for four kills and five blocks, Yosemite pulled out to a commanding 8-1 lead.

“The girls fought real hard in the fifth game, but Yosemite started digging us more,” Glass said.