Buhach Colony volleyball clinches playoff spot with win over Atwater

Kuuipolani Braceros likes to see the aggressive side of Buhach Colony senior Karissa Jacobsen come out when she’s on the court. That’s when the Thunder coach knows she’s going to get the best out of her middle blocker.

With the season on the line, Jacobsen came out aggressive against Atwater and delivered nine kills and three blocks to help the Thunder clinch a playoff spot with an 18-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-22 win in the regular-season finale Monday night at Atwater High School.

“She’s come alive,” Braceros said. “She’s definitely a beast. Sometimes, I look at her and she’s so graceful she reminds me of a ballerina. Then other times, she brings out this other player. That’s what I like to see. She’s much more powerful when she plays in transition, when she’s driving toward the net or moving toward the setter. We want her moving toward every ball.”

Jacobsen and her teammates have come a long way from the team that finished 0-15 in the Central California Conference last season.

The talent was on display Monday night.

Junior outside hitter Jessica Pinasco can jump as high as anyone in the conference, and she dazzled the large crowd with 18 kills and three aces. Senior Sarah Clarot (six kills and three aces) came up with clutch plays all over the court, and senior setter Macy Oh orchestrated the offense with 28 assists.

The Thunder (13-12, 4-6 CCC) has proved all season it’s not a team that is ever going to quit on the court. According to assistant coach Darin Dupont, the turning point for the team was winning the Stockton Classic at Bear Creek in October, proving to the players they were capable of beating good teams.

Now they’re headed to the playoffs.

“Oh my gosh, it feels amazing,” Jacobsen said. “It’s the most amazing feeling. Last year, it felt like we gave up before half of the season was over. This year, we have a team that will fight and never give up.”

The Thunder showed some of that fight after dropping the first game to Atwater (3-7 CCC).

The Falcons controlled the opening game with the help of five kills from Abby Knapp and three kills from Brittany Massa.

Pinasco helped the Thunder turn the tables in the second game, recording five kills and an ace. Buhach Colony jumped out early to a 9-5 lead and never trailed in tying the match.

“We just talked about playing more efficiently,” Braceros said. “We had to make sure the crowd wasn’t determining the fate of the match. If the crowd was loud, we had to be louder so we could communicate.”

Easier said than done with two large student cheering sections.

“The atmosphere was crazy,” Clarot said. “As much as it brought us down at times, it also picked us up.”

The Thunder battled back from early deficits in the final two games. Buhach Colony trailed 10-4 in the third game and used three mini runs to work its way to a 17-15 lead. Freshman Cameron Gray picked up a couple key kills during a 4-0 run midway through the game. The Thunder closed the game with a 5-1 run.

The final game went back and fourth until Buhach Colony used a 6-0 run to open a 23-18 lead. Pinasco and Jacobsen delivered big kills and Mallory Pazin served an ace as the Thunder took control.

On the final point, the Thunder back row fended off two big swings from Knapp to keep the ball alive and Clarot ended the match with a roll shot that softly fell to the floor.

“I’m so proud of them,” Braceros said. “We took a team that went 0-15 last year. I know 4-6 isn’t the greatest record, but we made it to the playoffs. That was our long-term goal for the season. It was definitely a process. Every team has the potential to be great, but you have to tap into your full potential every single day.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 10:31 PM with the headline "Buhach Colony volleyball clinches playoff spot with win over Atwater."