Archer Volleyball Advances to CIF Final Four

For the first time in the 16-year history of the (Brentwood), an Archer athletic team will play in a CIF "Final Four."  The Archer volleyball squad, inspired by a boisterous Saturday night crowd dressed in green, advanced to the CIF Division 5AA  semifinals with a triumph over Victor Valley Christian (Victorville), three sets to one.  

Archer, now 16-4 overall, will play tomorrow night for a spot in the CIF Finals against the CIF 5AA defending champions, Desert Christian Academy (Bermuda Dunes), a team that boasts a 21-2 record.  

The game will be played at Crossroads Grisanti Gym in Santa Monica, first serve is at 7:30pm.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for what promises to be a packed gym.  

The championship game will more than likely be played on Saturday at Cypress College.  Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) will travel on Tuesday to play Lighthouse Christian (Santa Monica) in the other semifinal game.

In true Archer style, senior Grace Fetterman belted out the national anthem, both impressing the crowd and firing everyone up for the contest, including Archer fan and basketball superstar Lisa Leslie.  The first set kept both teams' fans at a fevered pitch, and Archer pulled out the overtime win, 28-26.  

Archer went on to win set two 25-19, dropped the third set 24-26, then won the fourth set 25-16 to advance.  The girls have made their way through the single elimination playoffs, from  the "thirsty thirty-two" to the "sweet sixteen" to the "elite eight" and now to the "final four."  Next stop, the "terrific two," in hopes to a final resting place as the "only one."  Multiple Archer faculty members were on hand to see their students perform to their highest level as athletes and as a team.

The moment of the night came in set three.  VVC's top hitter, Cassie Morris, ripped a ball into the Archer backcourt.  Waiting was Archers top defender, Lindsay Levesque.  Lindsay dominates games from the libero position like no other player.  Levesque made a one-armed diving dig to ricochet the ball towards her teammates, the ball was then caromed high into the air by another Archer player.  Levesque, sprawled on the floor, pushed herself up.  Her back to the play, she somehow found the ball, made a 180 degree turn to one-hand play the ball back over the net, miraculously keeping it inside the antennas.  

For those sports historians out there, picture Willie Mays with his back to the plate in the 1954 World Series chasing down the Vic Wertz drive, then spiraling to throw the ball back in.  That iconic play in game one of the 1954 World Series, which the Giants went on to win, sent the same message as the play the from the three-sport, all-leaguer Levesque.  

Hit your best shot, we will run it down.  Nothing will come easy.  With the Archer fans both stunned and gasping for the words to describe what they just witnessed, the girls from Victorville were finished.  This would be Archer's night.

The Desert Christian Academy team is more than a formidable opponent, they are the defending champions, returning most of their top players from their 2010 title team which finished with a 20-3 record.  They are led by senior middle hitter Kristen Laver and senior setter Abby Ostendorf, both prominent players on last years team.  The Conquerors have won 20 matches in a row to reach the semifinals, Archer has won nine of it's last ten matches.

The Archer volleyball team roster includes:  Seniors Leslie Baker and Coco Maurice, juniors Jessica Culotti, Elle Keoghan, Ciena Lennon, Lindsay Levesque, Marian Maile, Katie Moray, sophomores Kirsten Avila and Maia Barnett and freshmen Lauryn Brame and Ava Mandelbaum.  The Coaches are Jonathan Lotz, Anthony Mezzavilla and Caitlin Lawson.

GREEN OUT GRISANTI
The Archer athletic department is asking all fans attending to wear Archer green (aka Hunter Green).  The gym was alive in green Saturday, we hope for a complete green-out Tuesday night.  Limited parking at Crossroads Grisanti Gym is located off the 18th street entrance.  Doors will open at 6:30pm.  This game may sell out, be sure to arrive early.

MAXPREPS BROADCAST
The high school sports web site, maxpreps.com, filmed the game saturday and will film Tuesday's game for future distribution.

CIF VOLLEYBALL INFORMATION
CIF 5AA Volleyball Playoffs Semifinals:  Desert Christian Academy vs. Archer @ Crossroads School Grisanti , 1715 18th Street, Santa Monica 90404
Game Time 7:30 p.m.  General admission is $7, $4 for students with school ID.

Denny Lennon is athletic director for the Archer School for Girls.