Volleyball: Three S. Florida Teams Headed To Volleyball Final Four

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Two-time defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas, Ferguson and Westminster Christian girls' volleyball teams are returning to the Final Four.

Even better, all three local teams will host their state semifinal games on Saturday.

St. Thomas Aquinas (28-2) will host Manatee (13-8) in the FHSAA Class 8A. The Raiders are making their 8A debut this season.

St. Thomas Aquinas advanced with a 25-13, 25-10, 25-16 victory over Mourning in the Region 4-8A final at the Raiders' gym. Pepperdine-commit Brook Bauer had 10 kills, 7 digs, 3 blocks, 4 aces and 10 points. Emma Dixon had 10 kills and Jada Gardener had 10 kills. In the region semifinal, the Raiders defeated West Boca Raton, 25-21, 25-10, 25-20.

The Raiders are poised to become only the third Broward team to win three consecutive state titles. Cardinal Gibbons and Pine Crest were the others.

The Raiders have not lost a set to a high school team in Florida this season. The Raiders are 23-0 in Florida and 5-2 out-of-state. Their only two losses coming at the Durango Classic in Las Vegas.

In the Region 4-9A final, Ferguson defeated West Broward, 25-17, 25-13, 25-18 for the third time in four years to advance to the state semifinals. West Broward finished its season 15-9 after losing its fourth consecutive region final.

Alexandra Gonzalez had 13 kills, 1 ace and 10 digs. Michelle Cuervo had a team-high 15 kills. Melanie Cuervo had 30 assists and 7 digs. Grace Ieremia had 4 kills and 3 blocks.

The Falcons (25-2) made it to the Final Four after a remarkable comeback. Ferguson lost the district title to Southwest and was forced to come through the runner-up bracket. Coral Reef knocked off Southwest in the regional semifinals and Ferguson came back to defeat Coral Reef in the region finals, 21-25, 25-17, 25-4, 25-19.

Ferguson will host top-ranked Boca Raton (22-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Boca Raton, led by 6-foot Alabama-commit Christine Jarman, eliminated Cypress Bay in the region semifinals, 25-22, 25-17, 25-17. It was the second consecutive season the Lightning finished one match shy of the state tournament. The Bobcats won the region title last year and a state crown in 2012.

Ferguson, Dade's top team, lost a gut-wrenching five-set match to Jupiter in last year's state semifinal. In 2013, Ferguson lost to Lake Mary.

Westminster Christian (27-4) will make its state semifinal appearance for the fifth time in six years.

The Warriors won a hard-fought 25-17, 25-22, 17-25, 25-14 match against Calvary Christian in the Region 4-5A final. The Warriors will host Bishop Verot (26-4) on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Westminster Christian was led by senior Nikkia Benitez with 17 kills. Ingrid Savola and Quinn Blanco combined for 38 assists. Priscilla Hernandez had 14 kills. Blanco had 13 digs and Savola had 11 digs. Eighth-grader Saskia Hernandez had 15 digs and 7 kills.

Archbishop McCarthy ended its' storybook season with first-year coach and McCarthy alum Corey Marks in the Region 4-6A semifinals. The Mavericks were eliminated by Bishop Moore, 25-11, 25-17, 25-13.

Archbishop McCarthy won its' fifth district title in the program's history with a straight set victory over Pompano Beach and defeated Dreyfoos School of the Arts in the region quarterfinals, 25-12, 25-17, 25-9 and knocked off Suncoast in the semifinals, 26-24, 27-25, 22-25, 20-25, 15-13 to set up the region final.

SATURDAY STATE SEMIFINALS

State 9A: Boca Raton at Ferguson, 2 p.m.

State 8A: Manatee at St. Thomas Aquinas, 2 p.m.

State 5A: Fort Myers Bishop Verot at Westminster Christian 2 p.m.

STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Nov. 10-12, West Port High School, Ocala