MORGAN HILL -- Every player imagines being a hero on Senior Night, lifting their team to a big victory with a heroic effort down the stretch.
Sobrato's Kelsey Westall lived it.
With her team trailing 18-9 in Game 4 Tuesday against the powerful Leigh Longhorns, Westall sparked a rally with four aces and two stuff blocks, then smashed home the game-winning kill in a four-set victory for the Lady Bulldogs, 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 25-22.
"I've been thinking about this game for a while," said Westall, a 5-foot-9 middle blocker/outside hitter. "I pictured it ending like this."
Westall, who finished with eight blocks and six kills, was one of four Sobrato seniors honored before the Mount Hamilton Division contest, joining Brenda Trevizan, Kayla Unger and Kelly Kreulen. They were part of a program that won division championships in 2007 and 2006.
Each senior left her mark Tuesday in what Trevizan described as a remarkable and somewhat frustrating win for Sobrato (4-9 league).
"We wish we could have played this well the whole season. We would have won a lot more games," the setter/outside hitter said. "Tonight we were communicating well; our passing was great. We pulled everything together."
Trevizan totaled five kills and three digs, Unger collected four aces, four digs and two kills at outside hitter, and Kreulen, a 5-foot-11 middle blocker, had two aces and two blocks to go with four kills.
Junior setter Kayla McElvy landed five tip kills, including three in the first game when the Bulldogs were in complete control. Sobrato trailed by as many as five in Game 2, but pulled even with an ace and kill by Kreulen and back-to-back stuff blocks by Westall.
Sophomore hitter Jessica Westall, Kelsey's sister, spiked an errant pass from Leigh's side at game point, pushing the Bulldogs ahead two sets to none.
"I treasured every game I got to play with Jessica this year. I'm going to miss her next year. She's my best friend," Kelsey Westall said.
Leigh (7-6), which remained on pace to reach the Central Coast Section playoffs, never trailed in winning Game 3. Middle blocker Elyse Eitel scored four of her game-high nine kills during that set. She planted two more plus a pair of aces early in the fourth set when the Longhorns built their big lead.
"We were still pretty focused," Trevizan said. "We knew we could win this game."
LO likely heading to playoffs after upset win over EV
Live Oak, which ends the regular season at home at 6:30 p.m. tonight against Westmont, all but clinched a spot in CCS by shocking Evergreen Valley in a three-set win Tuesday, 25-15, 25-23, 25-20.
Gabi Cinkova had 13 kills for the Lady Acorns (9-4 league), who became the first Mount Hamilton team to beat the reigning league champion Cougars this season.
FIELD HOCKEY
Lady Acorns have shot at CCS berth today
If there is any upside to Live Oak's 3-1 loss at Leigh on Wednesday it's this: The Acorns can help decide their postseason fate in front of their home crowd this afternoon.
At 6-4-3 in Santa Teresa Division play, fourth-place Live Oak most likely needs to win today's 2:45 p.m. regular-season finale against third-place Homestead (9-3-1) to be considered for an at-large berth in the CCS playoffs.
GIRLS TENNIS
Watanabe, Pecsok end big junior seasons at BVALs
Sobrato juniors Alexa Watanabe and Ali Pecsok capped impressive 2009 campaigns with a strong showing in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Singles Tournament.
Watanabe defeated Live Oak's Marie Lewis 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in a Santa Teresa Division finals rematch in the first round, then lost to Anastasia Glyantseva of Leland, 6-0, 6-2. Watanabe placed fourth.
Pecsok also lost to an 'A'-league foe, Martha Santos of Piedmont Hills, in the opening round, 6-1, 6-0.
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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