On Nov. 6, only hours after Menlo defeated Sacred Heart Prep (SHP) in the annual Valpo Bowl football game, Archbishop Mitty High School defeated the Menlo varsity volleyball team in the CCS Open Division Championships in three sets 30-28, 25-19, 25-21. With the loss, Menlo took second place in the CCS Open Division, the highest division.

As the No. 3 seed, Menlo defeated No. 6 seed SHP 3-0 in the quarterfinals, and then No. 2 seed St. Ignatius 3-1 in the semifinals. Overall, Menlo ended the season 28-6, with a 10-0 league record to win the West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division. 

The Open Division groups the top eight teams in the CCS, ensuring each gets a spot in the state tournament, which begins on Nov. 7. The Knights now wait to be seeded.

The first set of the game began at 5:59 p.m. at Gunn High School. The set stayed tight until the end when Mitty went up 24-22, giving them two set-point opportunities. A kill from senior Hanna Hoffman and a missed serve from Mitty tied the set 24-24. Both teams dragged the set out until the score was even at 28-28. Finally, a well-aimed serve from Mitty senior Reese Reed and a final kill from Mitty senior Kendra MacDonald won the first set for Mitty 30-28.

The second set started strong for Menlo; however, Mitty quickly caught up to take a lead of 9-8. The Monarchs held onto their advantage to win the second set 25-19.

“We started off with a lot of confidence in the first set and that’s why we were able to keep it close. But then we kind of get stressed and some of that positive energy turned into chaos,” senior Simone Adam said. 

The third and final set saw the Knights on the defensive. Mitty carried their momentum from the previous two sets, scoring six points in a row before Menlo put one on the board. The Knights rallied, keeping the set within reach; however, a dominant performance from Mitty’s MacDonald kept the Monarchs on top, winning 25-21. With the win, Mitty claimed the CCS Open Division Championship.

“There’s no other team like [Mitty] that we’ve faced before, so I feel like we’re not used to their types of serves and passes, even though we’re fully capable of handling it,” senior Hallie MacDonald

said. 

The Knights now look ahead to compete in the NorCal division of the state tournament. If they win the NorCal bracket, they compete in the state championship with the winner of the SoCal bracket. 

“Since we’re in the Open Division, there are going to be a lot of fun and intense games,” Adam said.