QUINCY – Longtime head coach Paul Pitts-Dilley remembers fairly nicely how drab the state of the O’Bryant boys volleyball program was 14 years in the past.
Now, after profitable their first playoff recreation in 19 years simply two seasons in the past, the revamped Tigers are headed to their first-ever state semifinal.
Behind 25 kills from senior star Jonathan Narsjo in an in any other case well-rounded effort Saturday afternoon, sixth-seeded O’Bryant overcame deficits within the third and fourth units to defeat reigning finalist No. 3 North Quincy, 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 27-25, 25-23), in a Div. 2 state quarterfinal.
Senior Son Nguyen dished out 50 kills so as to add to his record-breaking profession with the Tigers, whereas Ziyou Zhang added six kills with 4 aces. Desmond Ugoji chipped in eight kills with 4 blocks, and Nathan Tan had 9 kills with three aces.
O’Bryant will face No. 2 Agawam at Assabet Valley on Tuesday for a spot within the Div. 2 state title recreation.
“I’m super excited, I’m trying not to cry here,” Pitts-Dilley stated. “It’s amazing. Where we were 14 years ago – we go from not winning a state tournament game in 19 years to being a Final Four and counting team. … I’m super proud.”
“The second the game ended, I wanted to celebrate with my guys, but the first thing was I literally broke down in tears,” Narsjo added. “Every year, it’s a new height that we’re reaching. … It’s the most important thing to me.”
It’s solely becoming how giant of a turnaround the Tigers displayed from a 3-0 loss to the Raiders to shut out the common season, exemplifying the foremost enhancements this system has made to place itself on this place. It’s additionally becoming how O’Bryant, which often struggles with transportation for street video games and even had the ability in its personal health club exit to maneuver a house recreation this 12 months, overcame adversity as soon as once more to maneuver on.
Rushing over from commencement earlier within the day, the Tigers acquired off to a scorching begin by getting small contributions throughout the board. North Quincy stars Cameron Johnston and Nate Caldwell couldn’t get a lot moving into a 25-18 loss within the first set, however mixed for 12 kills within the second to construct a lead as giant as seven factors in a 25-22 win.
Tied at 1-1, Johnston (16 kills), Caldwell (10 kills) and Liam Bailey (seven kills) continued to thrive off of senior Bobby Lin’s setting (42 assists) alongside middles Anthony Chui and Dylan Clifford within the third set to show a 15-9 deficit right into a 21-21 tie. North Quincy was even within the driver’s seat with a 25-24 lead after trailing 24-22, however a red-hot Narsjo buried his eleventh kill of the body to carry the Raiders off. Nathan Tan and Ashton Mei took care of the subsequent two Nguyen units, and O’Bryant escaped with a 27-25 win towards a 2-1 match lead.
North Quincy got here out firing within the fourth searching for forcing a fifth set, main as a lot as 18-12. But the Tigers, who deal with runs of three at a time in these conditions, clawed again behind their depth. Zhang’s two aces and one other Narsjo kill performed an element in a 7-0 run for a 23-21 lead, and kills from Narsjo and Tan closed out the win.
“I think it’s our experience, it’s been the same guys that have been playing together for so many years now,” Narsjo stated. “We know that the set’s not done. We’ve played hundreds and hundreds of sets together, and we know that the set isn’t done until it’s 25-whatever the score is. … We have to come back, no matter what.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com