Sports sayings include: It's not how you start the season that matters. That's how it ends.
The San Diego Mojo women's professional volleyball team may be the epitome of this adage. Mojo started the season 1-5 with 0 wins and 3 losses in the first three matches and 0 wins (yes, 0 sets) in the first nine sets. That's the same team that won 10 of its final 14 games and finished the regular season with a 71% winning percentage. “It's not over yet,” coach Taiyeva Hanif Park said. “We’ve been writing stories all year long about triumph and resilience.”
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The team earned the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and began its journey to become the first professional sports team in San Diego history to win a national championship. Tonight's semifinal playoff game will be Omaha vs. Omaha Supernovas at 6:30 PM PT. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).
What is the outlook for tonight's match?
Point 1, away game. The team was a great competitor in away matches, winning five of the last seven away matches. Hanif Park and other players commented that the team grows from the energy of the crowd, regardless of who the crowd is rooting for to win. Expect the crowd to be loud tonight, especially since this game will be in Omaha, where the Supernovas play during the regular season. Mojo vs. Supernova was 2 wins and 2 losses. The first loss came on February 3, when the team was still learning how to play together. The final two matches went to five sets, one of which was won by Mojo.
Point 2, Blocking and Defense. Ali Bastianelli leads the league in blocks per set, while Bastianelli and Ronica Stone rank fourth and sixth, respectively, in blocks per season. The team's blocking and defense are among the best in the league. Bastianelli has also brought maturity to his game. Her teammate Temi Thomas Airara said, “She helped us hold the huddle longer and helped us stay calm in tough moments.” “She's a really good player on and off the court.” Her stone blocking and sliding are known throughout the league. One of Mojo's unsung heroes is Shara Venegas Medina, who is tied for fourth in the league in digs. These players will be the key to Mojo's victory tonight.
Point 3, ignored. None of Mojo's players were selected for first-team league honors. Three players were selected from Atlanta Vibe, two from Grand Rapids Rise, and two from Omaha Supernova. All seven players are from the three teams that also made the playoffs. One of his best ways to deal with this lack of respect is to win.
Another reason why this team did not earn first team honors is because the team boasts a balanced attack that helped them cross the goal line in games. Rookie sensation Thomas-Ailara led the team with his 330 kills, and nine players had a kill rate higher than his 30%. The team recently made Willow Johnson available for the game. (Johnson's father is former major league pitcher Randy Johnson). Johnson's play earned him the league's Player of the Week award on April 30. Lindsey Vander Weide has been a consistent positive contributor and earned the same honor on May 14th.
Point 4, setter. Great kills depend on great settings, and San Diego has two creative setters in Nusara Tomcom and August Laske. Tomcomb played almost every set throughout the season. She was named the Professional Volleyball Federation's Setter of the Year. Tomkom, a native of Bangkok, Thailand, has 932 assists this season, ranking third in the league with an average of 10.59 assists per set.
playoff game
Watch Mojo vs. Supernova tonight on CBS Sports Network at 6:30 p.m. The winner will play in Omaha on May 18th.
