Torrey Pines rushes the court after winning the TOC championship. (John Dvorak/Presidio Sports Photos)
Savvy Simo and the Torrey Pines volleyball team swept Great Oak 25-15, 25-19, 25-13 to win the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions title on Saturday.
Simo was named the tournament MVP after leading the Falcons to their second major tournament title in the past three weeks.
“We definitely played some of the best we’ve ever played,” Simo said. “This weekend, I think more than most, we really came together as a team and a group of girls. There was no drama, no issues, everyone was super positive.
“I’ve never seen a team play with so much heart before and I think that’s why we won because we had so much heart.”
The Falcons dominated the tournament, sweeping three of their four matches. Only Presentation, which finished in sixth place, took a game off Torrey Pines in a quarterfinal match. Torrey Pines went on to defeat Mater Dei in the semifinals 25-23, 25-18, 25-19 followed by the win over Great Oak in the championship match.
Great Oak edged Archbishop Mitty 25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13 in the semifinals.
Ten players made the all-tournament team: Presentation’s Hannah Turnland, Mira Costa’s Britt Bommer, Great Oak’s Sam Rice and Amy Undertown, Torrey Pines’ Cailin Onosko and Jillian Strockis, Mater Dei’s Shannon Scully and Makena Martin, Archbishop Mitty’s Kate Formico and Kamrin Caoili.
Tournament hosts Santa Barbara High and San Marcos finished 15th and 12th respectively. The Royals fell to Newport Harbor 25-17, 25-17, 25-18 in their final match while Santa Barbara claimed its first victory of the tournament in the 15th-place match against Harbor High.
The Dons won a close first set 26-24 and shut the door 25-15, 25-18 in Game 2 & 3. That after a 25-15, 25-20, 9-25, 22-25, 15-5 loss to Westview earlier in the day.
“We started playing a little better, starting passing and attacking with a little more purpose,” said Santa Barbara High head coach John Gannon.
Gannon said that the Dons, who also played two tough league matches this week, are conditioning themselves for the tough teams they will be facing in CIF. He wasn’t worried about where his team finished.
“It’s just good to get this competition before heading into playoffs,” said Gannon.
Lourda Weger’s 54 kills were a team-high over the course of the tournament. Jessyca Beksa totaled 45 kills and sophomore Erika Foreman added 33. Bella Gniadek’s team-high eight aces were key for the Dons.
San Marcos had a shot at playing for the Consolation Championship but fell in a five-set match to Arroyo Grande 13-25, 25-12, 22-25, 25-14, 15-12. The Royals then took a 25-17, 25-17, 25-18 loss from Newport Harbor to end their tournament.
