TALKING BIG

By Brandon Petersen

They came in talking. They left in silence.

The Westcliff women's volleyball team took former Cal Pac rival Park–Gilbert behind the woodshed Wednesday afternoon, sweeping the Buccaneers 25–21, 25–17, 25–22 at Momentous Sports Center.

Park entered 5–16 overall and 1–9 in the GSAC, but still managed to talk so much, the Warriors couldn't help but to take notice.

In the end, however, it was Westcliff that looked like the confident, composed program — hammering 46 kills to the visitors' 35 while holding them to just .136 hitting.

Junior outside hitter Serena Comer led the charge, posting 11 kills, eight digs and a .400 hitting percentage, capping her performance with a stuff block that ended the match and sealed her Player of the Match honors.

"That block was pretty cool," Comer said, laughing. "They're big and scary, and being small, it's harder to focus in. But once I found my flow state, it got easy to just get on top of the ball. It's just getting into game mode."

Park–Gilbert's bench kept chirping, but Comer and company never bit.

"I didn't feed into any of it," she said. "At the end I was like, 'Y'all talk too much crap.' That's how I knew it was over when I got that block."

Comer's poise anchored a Warriors team that hit .389 in the second set and kept its foot on the gas.

Stacy Folas added 14 kills, Samantha Carelock tallied 10 kills and a block-and-a-half, and setter Amanda Ferreira orchestrated the offense with 41 assists.

For Westcliff, the sweep was about more than stats — it was statement. This is a program that has improved exponentially from where it was just a couple months ago.

Sweeping aside the gum-flapping Buccaneers felt fitting for a group that has been counted out all season long.

"It feels like we're playing more as a team," Comer said. "We're older, more experienced. It's not just about listening to the coaches now — it's about trusting each other, buying into each other.

"That's the difference."

The Warriors improved to 9–12 overall with the win and looked every bit a team rounding into late-season form.

Now 2-3 in the Cal Pac and poised to qualify for the postseason, Wednesday's match could be a preview of the Warriors' dangerous, Darkhorse status heading into the playoffs.

If they continue to play as well as they did Wednesday, their Cal Pac rivals should take notice before tourney time.