SHC Girls Volleyball Wins State Title

SHC won the CIF Division III championship last Saturday by sweeping the Southern California champion in straight sets (25-15, 25-19, 25-23). This is the first State title in the storied history of the program. The Fightin’ Irish have had a tremendous run of success under 12-year head coach Margi Beima. In all but one of those seasons, the team advanced to the NorCal semifinals or beyond. They won the NorCal title five times and advanced to the State Finals, but this was the first time they took home the prize. [caption id="attachment_370579" align="alignright" width="233"] Maia So-Holloway ’16 running the Fightin’ Irish offense.[/caption] The team won their first ever West Catholic Athletic League title as well, and finished the season ranked No. 2 in the country by MaxPreps.com While the State Finals game was a sweep, the path to get there was bumpy. They trailed two sets to one in both the NorCal Semifinals and the NorCal Finals but came roaring back to life in both matches to win in five sets. Beima enthusiastically described what made this squad so special. “This team had fantastic ball control and was really mentally tough. They were so resilient and were willing to put the team goals before their own and really came together as a family. That’s been the mark of our program: to play with tremendous heart and determination.” Maintaining their priorities and playing with humility is no accident. Beima’s three highlights for a season marked by their first state title and exciting win over the No. 1 team in the nation were: “Doing service work with our Lasallian volleyball sisters in our Second Annual Serve It Up Classic; winning the league championship; and coming back from 2-1 down to win the NorCal championship.”