
By Robert Balajadia
The FD Friars and Harvest Eagles have developed an exciting volleyball rivalry over the past few years which made their first meeting in 2019 at the Phoenix Center Friday evening one of the season’s most anticipated matches. The defending champion Friars looked sharp, besting the Eagles in four sets 25-17, 25-16, 22-25, 25-17.
Outside hitter Aidan ‘Moonwalker’ McDonald of the Friars pushed out 14 kills to lead the team, who looked sharp for all but the 3rd set. The Eagles hitters behind Mason Caldwell and Jacob Oshiro poured in their best set with the visiting team handing FD their first set loss in four games this season.
“We were getting too comfortable out there and we took it too light in that set. We weren’t talking out there in that 3rd set, but we had to keep the hype up and we knew what we needed to do,” said McDonald on dropping their first set this season.
FD recollected themselves in the 4th where they scored 11 of their 25 points on kills with McDonald putting the game away with his final shot down the right side of the defense.
Friday’s showdown wasn’t any ordinary game for the Friars as they were fully aware of how dangerous the senior-led group of Eagles have become. Caldwell led his team with 10 total kills and McDonald said the boys were keying in on Caldwell’s ability to affect a game.
“We had to throw two to three blockers on [Mason] and we worked on that a lot in practice,” said McDonald on the Eagles streaky outside hitter. “There was a lot of hype tonight, but we were confident in ourselves and in our coaches.”
Game Recap
FD opened up the game with four different players scoring kills on their first four points to get the offense off to a hot start. McDonald would get his first block on the night, following it up with a smashing kill on the next series to go up 18-12. Caldwell would sneak in two kills to start heating up before a tip from Noah Diaz would give the home team the opening set.
The Friars dominated the 2nd after being tied at 11, wth McDonald crushing a big kill off a block to give the Friars the lead for good. FD’s libero Kaleb Tennessen would serve through the teams 7-0 run in the set with McDonald notching his eighth kill to go up 21-14. Brandon Soriano would put the set away with a shot up the middle 25-16.
JR Noh would get the Eagles going in the 3rd with three straight kills for an early 3-1 advantage. FD would take back the lead off back-to-back kills from Jeremiah Nguyen only to be answered by an ace from Ryan Root and a pair of kills from Caldwell later in the set to give the Eagles their largest lead 13-7. Caldwell would get his second kill of the set to go up 22-17 before a short Friar run to get as close as 24-22. Out of the timeout, Caldwell would get a set-clinching kill off the block to force the extra set.
Even though the Friars went down in the 3rd, McDonald could see the boys regaining focus in their short run in the later parts of the set.
FD started to gain separation during the 4th sets midpoint with McDonald shaking up the backline for a kill to go up 16-13. FD would close the final set on a 9-1 run with highlights coming from right side hitter Noah Diaz, ending in a McDonald kill.
The Friars improve to (4-0) on the season while the Eagles take their first loss (3-1).
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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