Soquel >> Under the command of its veterans, Aptos High’s girls volleyball team won this battle. But if Soquel learned anything from last year, it’s that it’s a long time until the war is over.
With seniors Karsen Welle, Maddie Bol and Madi Dueck, and junior Elise Coash — all of whom have been on varsity since their freshman year — leading the charge, the Mariners withstood an opening struggle against Soquel to prevail 25-13, 25-17, 25-11 in their Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League first-round match Tuesday night.
For Aptos (10-4, 5-0), winning the match between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Sentinel Girls Volleyball Power Poll was the first step toward securing a share of the league title for the third straight year and eighth time in the past 10 years. The second step could come Thursday when the Mariners play No. 3-ranked Harbor in Santa Cruz at 6:30 p.m.
Yet after last season, Soquel, Harbor and Aptos all know that winning the first round doesn’t equate to winning the title. All three teams will play each other again in October during the second round of league play, and that’s when anything can happen. In 2014, the teams all tied with one loss and split the SCCAL regular-season title three ways.
Soquel (7-6, 4-1), which defeated Aptos 3-1 in their second meeting, eventually won the SCCAL Tournament.
First-year Knights coach Jeanine Haldi said she could see that same scenario playing out this season.
“Tonight was a great learning experience. We learned a lot about what it means to be challenged and be unified,” Haldi said.
A former assistant for San Jose State University’s NCAA Division I team, Haldi previously said the difference between the high school and the college level was a matter of confidence. Tuesday night’s match was a prime example.
“Our confidence would get down a little when they pressured us and got two or three points in a row,” she said. “But I’m really proud of my girls. I know we have the strength to play with a great team, which I feel Aptos is. They have a lot of weapons.”
Welle, a 6-foot-plus middle blocker and right side player, was the most intimidating of them Tuesday. She chalked up five kills, three blocks and six aces. Most of her aces came during a nine-point stretch in Game 3 that put a damper on any chance a resurgent Soquel team had to rally. Bol led the team in kills with eight and added two blocks, while Coash showed she hasn’t dropped off any since earning first-team all-SCCAL honors as a sophomore in 2014 with 25 assists.
“We have a lot of leadership,” Aptos coach Lucas Bol said. “It really helps, but we also have a strong supporting cast who are also leaders. The whole team is committed to doing great things.”
That teamwork helped when tensions ran high early in the match. The teams battled back and forth early in Game 1, tying five times before Aptos broke open a 10-10 deadlock. With a combination of strong play from Welle, smart play from junior outside Ari Rodriguez and a series of Soquel mistakes, the Mariners were off and running.
Even though Aptos controlled the rest of the match, it had trouble shutting down 2014 Freshman of the Year Maggie Walters, who tallied a match-high 11 kills along with nine digs and four aces. Camryn Rocha added five kills and 11 digs and Bailey Kimes also made 11 digs.
“We learn as we go along and our confidence builds as we go along,” Haldi said. “They’re a resilient group.”
Soquel hosts Santa Cruz at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Contact Julie Jag at 831-706-3257.