Placer opens playoffs with sweep of Twelve Bridges

The Sac-Joaquin Section girls volleyball playoffs got underway Tuesday night and the draw in Division III could not have paired two programs that were more opposite. Third-seeded Placer, one of the oldest schools in the region and a staple in the postseason in recent years, hosted No. 14 Twelve Bridges, a program playing its first playoff match in just its second varsity season. The Hillmen protected their home court at the Earl Crabbe Gym in Auburn, sweeping the Rhinos 3-0. Senior Emma Watkins helped her team to a fast start with five kills and a block as the Hillmen jumped on the Rhinos' lack of playoff experience to storm out to an 8-2 lead in set one. "We wanted to take advantage of having a home playoff game and use the crowd we have in this gym to set the tone and these girls did exactly that," Placer coach Karly Sipherd-Smith said. "The girls showed me that we had the ball control, we had the hitting, the blocking, and all of it was coming together." The Rhinos got their feet under them after the initial storm, but Placer kept its foot on the gas and ended the first set on a 15-2 run for a 25-6 victory thanks to strong performances from Watkins, Lainey Black and Kellyn Haggerty. "I knew we wanted to start fast because we're in our home gym and that's pretty lucky to have that advantage in the playoffs," Watkins said. "I knew a fast start would be setting the tone right away and it just helped us keep it short and get the job done in three sets." Twelve Bridges started the second set much better, but once again Placer began to pull away with the help of Black's aggression at the net, elevating the Hillmen to a 25-10 victory. "When our hitters are doing what they can do and what they should do, we can be a tough team to beat," Sipherd-Smith said of Watkins and Black. "Our goal is just to keep that consistency all the way through." Black, another senior and the team leader in kills, said she was extra motivated going into Tuesday's match after Placer went one and done in the 2022 postseason. "Last year, we didn't make it very far in the playoffs so this year, we really strived to get out ahead and go on a playoff run," Black said. "It was really good to get a win today." With their season on the line, the Raging Rhinos built an early lead in the third set but the Hillmen clawed back and pulled through with a 25-15 victory to sweep the match. The loss marked a disappointing end to Twelve Bridges' season, but the young Rhinos learned a valuable lesson and gained playoff experience. Coach Morghan Pomeroy emphasized the importance of her team learning what it was like to play in the postseason, saying, "I think it was really good for us. They might be a little bummed right now, but they worked their butts off and I'm super proud of each and every one of them." Placer went on to sweep No. 11 Vanden 25-19, 25-15, 25-14 on Thursday night to advance to the semifinals against No. 2 Modesto-Central Catholic in a Halloween night match. Placer will stay home Thursday night for the quarterfinals against No. 11 Vanden, which is coming off of a 3-2 upset of No. 6 Manteca-Sierra on the road. Sipherd-Smith said the Hillmen need to stay on the same course and play with the same energy and if they do, they should be able to handle their business. "We need to carry this on for Thursday. We're not looking to change anything with how we played other than maybe a few unforced errors here and there," Sipherd-Smith said. "But the energy, the way they're playing, and the chemistry, it all looks great."