Sacred Heart led throughout most of the match, but it was the Knights who brought home the victory in the fifth and final set. Staff Photo: Ty Corley.

By Ty Corley

The Menlo girls volleyball team defeated Sacred Heart Prep in a thrilling five-set match to finish off a season sweep against their rivals.

Sacred Heart brought an enormous, high-energy crowd to the match and it showed early in the game. The Gators won a close first set, which had their crowd roaring. The Knights battled back in the second set and tied the match 1-1. Then, the Gators retaliated for a victory on the third set, making it 2-1 in SHP’s favor.

The game was intense throughout, with each set coming down to the wire. “This is the closest game we have played so far,” senior middle blocker Ryan Hodge said. “Their crowd was big and rowdy. They definitely had a home court advantage but we battled through till the end.”

The 2-1 SHP lead put the Knights’ backs against the wall in a critical elimination set. Led by junior Grace King, who delivered a season-best 21 kills, the Knights clung to victory and carried momentum into the final set. It was in the final set where seniors Kristin Sellers and Ashley Dreyer came up huge for the Knights. After an intense back forth, the Knights pulled away and won the final set 15-8, clinching a nail-biter of a match which lasted over two hours.