Carlmont defeated Hillsdale in three straight sets, 25-18, 25-23, 25-13, in a varsity girls volleyball game Thursday night, Oct. 16, at Hillsdale High School.
The Scots maintained control throughout the match with consistent serving and strong front-row play, particularly close to each set. Hillsdale put up a strong fight with strong defensive energy, but Carlmont’s efficiency and steady teamwork secured the sweep.
“It wasn’t our brightest and shiniest game, but it was good enough to deliver the result. We had some highlights, but we were a little bit in slow motion after a super strong battle earlier this week,” said Sergio Smirnoff, Carlmont’s head coach.
Sminroff credited Alyssa Ison, an outside hitter, for leading the Scots’ offense with consistent scoring from both the front and back rows.
“Every time she got a hit in the back row, it was a point. She was key today for our scoring,” Sminroff said.
Carlmont senior Chloe Harris, who plays right side, emphasized her team’s consistency.
“I think we did really good on being consistent and making sure that we don’t slow down. It was a bit of a slow game, but we tried to keep up the energy,” Harris said.
Harris also highlighted the performance of the Scots’ defensive anchor and libero, Ellyssa Won, who made several strong serves.
“When she aced a serve, that was really fun,” Harris said.
Sminroff pointed to a string of late-game defensive plays as a turning point.
“At the very end, when Charlotte, my middle, and Anna, the girl who just came in, had a couple of blocks in a row. That was something we’d been working on in practice,” Sminroff said.
The Knights’ approach was to do their best and give it their all.
“My game plan was for us just to come out and play hard. We executed that, I would say, 100%, but we’ve got small things we still need to work out,” said Craig Crump, Hillsdale’s head coach.
Nia DeMartini, a Hillsdale senior, said the Knights have continued to grow as a team this season.
“This is a new group of girls playing together, so we’re still taking time to fully mesh. As the season’s gone on, we’ve gotten a lot better,” DeMartini said.
The Scots cited chemistry and unity as key factors for their season moving forward.
“It’s amazing. Our team chemistry is one of our biggest strengths. Everybody loves each other,” Sminroff said.
Hillsdale aims to close the season on a strong note. “Our main goal is to finish strong and to have a great senior night with my 12 seniors,” Crump said.
Carlmont will continue league play with the hopes of securing a top-three finish and advancing to the Central Coast Section playoffs. Hillsdale will look to build momentum and end the season proud of its effort.
