Bishop Gorman Defeats Bishop Manogue to Reach State Final

Bishop Gorman girls volleyball team defeated Bishop Manogue in four sets on Thursday evening at the University of Nevada, Reno's Virginia Street Gym. The win secures a spot for the Gaels in the Class 5A state championship match scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m.

Bishop Gorman won the match with set scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, and 25-17. This victory places the program one win away from becoming the first girls volleyball team in Nevada's largest classification to win four consecutive state titles.

The fourth set featured a decisive run by the Gaels. Leading 10-8, Bishop Gorman outscored Bishop Manogue 10-0 to reach 20-8. A subsequent 7-2 run by Bishop Manogue narrowed the gap to 22-17, but the Gaels closed out the match when senior Aliana Breitling spiked the ball into the block of two Manogue defenders. The ball caromed out of bounds to give Bishop Gorman match point.

Coach Gregg Nunley said the team relied on fundamentals to secure the win. He noted that he reminded the players of their preparation and game plan, emphasizing serving and passing. "Sometimes it just goes back to the basics," Nunley said. "Stick to the game plan and things will go well."

The match was tight for most of its duration. The only time either team held a lead of more than five points was on the final point of the first set. Bishop Gorman had previously defeated Bishop Manogue 2-0 in a tournament earlier in the season, but the atmosphere in Reno was different. Nunley described the environment as more intense, crediting the Bishop Manogue fans for providing their team with significant energy.

Nunley believes the pandemic disrupted the team's streak. He said the team could have achieved the four-peat sooner if the 2020 season had been played. "COVID is right there in the middle," Nunley said. "I feel like if we would have played the season, we might have had it there."

Faith Lutheran earned its place in the final by sweeping Carson. The Crusaders overcame an 18-11 deficit in the third set to win that set 25-23. Faith Lutheran took the first two sets 25-20 and 25-15, then scored the final five points of the match to secure the win.

Coach Amy Fisher credited her team's ability to stay focused during the third set. She said she told the players to work on siding out and remain in the moment. Fisher gave credit to the Carson players for digging many of the balls in that set. "We hung tough and kept giving it back to them," Fisher said.

The Crusaders are seeking their first state championship since moving to the largest classification. Fisher noted that their regional final win over Bishop Gorman last week proved their capability. "Before that match last Saturday, we believed we could beat them, but now we know we can beat them," Fisher said. Abby Bunyan led Faith Lutheran with 15 kills, while Chloe Garcia and Tori Castro each recorded eight.

The state championship game will take place on Friday. Bishop Gorman and Faith Lutheran will meet in Reno for the title. The Gaels aim for a historic fourth straight title, while the Crusaders look for their first in the new classification.