History, but no victory - Pioneer Press

HIGH SCHOOLS: STATE BOYS VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS >> ROGERS 3, ST. PAUL CENTRAL 2

History, but no victory

Central rallies to force fifth set but falls in first-ever state boys volleyball match

STP-L-VOLLEYBALL-0610-001#1_1094109682.jpg

St. Paul Central libero Ciaran Hennelly digs the ball during their quarterfinal match against Rogers on Tuesday in the state boys volleyball tournament at the University of St Thomas. BENNETT MOGER — PIONEER PRESS PHOTOS

Central’s Colson Pearce (15) and Josiah Walker set up for a block against a Rogers hitter during Tuesday’s match in St. Paul.

Image

By Mike Cook

Special to the Pioneer Press

St. Paul Central earned the first point in state boys volleyball tournament history, but Rogers earned the first win.

In a thriller.

The Royals let a two-set lead get away but used a fifth-set surge before hanging on for a 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 15-13 win Tuesday in a quarterfinal at the University of St. Thomas.

“We came in with the mindset of we’re going to do what we do and play hard and try to get this out in three or four, but St. Paul Central said otherwise,” Rogers coach Jarol Torres said. “That was a very tough team, and a great showing by them. They definitely challenged us.”

The third-seeded Royals, who will get No. 2 Eastview in a Wednesday 3 p.m. semifinal, lost their season opener but has won 26 straight since — 19 by sweep.

But the sixth seed from the St. Paul City Conference had something to prove against a suburban school.

“We just kept fighting for each other, fighting for our fans, fighting for St. Paul City. We’re representing not only us but all of the conference,” said Marcus Ivy.

Josiah Walker had 24 kills, and Colson Pearce 11 for the Minutemen (21-6). Gus Walz had 52 assists with his dad, Gov. Tim Walz, watching.

“(Walker) is a beast,” Ivy said. “He’s MVP of the St. Paul conference. He’s a machine. He’s one of the best outside hitters in the state, and he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves because he’s from the City.”Down two sets, a kill from Walker capped a 6-1 run to put St. Paul Central up 20-17 in set three. Overcoming four late unforced errors, a kill by Pearce got the Minutemen within a game.

A Rogers service error, kill by Walker and block by Ivy were the final three Minutemen points in set four.

“I feel like in the third and fourth set, when they got ahead, we just stopped believing,” said Grant Anderson, who had 15 kills for Rogers. “Jarol was telling us we’ve got to believe: ‘We came all this way; you can’t just give up now.’ That was the biggest difference between our play in the third and fourth and fifth set.”

Central grabbed a 6-4 led in the deciding set, but the Royals scored six of the next seven points to make it 10-7.

“Although it stinks, and I wanted it for them so badly, a lot of teams can’t be down two sets and push it to five and then only lose by two,” Central coach Georgia Tilton said. “The message is although we lost, you are all resilient human beings who have a lot to be grateful for, and it doesn’t take away from anything they’ve done thus far.”