Last stop: Warriors stand in way of championship

It has become a long-standing tradition in volleyball games to celebrate after each point scored.

If someone successfully spikes for the kill, the team may rush into a circle and stomp the ground, for example.

If a middle blocker registers a rejection, the team will usually raise their hands and flip their wrists to the side.

Each team usually comes up with their own set of gestures, but not Exeter.

The No. 1-ranked Monarchs, who host No. 3 Tehachapi in tonight’s Division III finals in Exeter, have often been machine-like and expressionless on their way to steamrolling opponents, usually in 3-0 sweeps.

Though Exeter refrains from the celebrations as part of a team policy and out of respect to the other team, that’s not to say this team isn’t human.

Wednesday’s news of losing teammate Amanda Monge for tonight’s game and the state playoffs due to illness proved it.

“I think the news was hard on the girls (yesterday) at practice,” Exeter coach Alana Montgomery said. “We weren’t ready for that and I think there was this feeling that hung over us like, ‘Oh man, we don’t have everybody now.’ Losing Amanda is a huge loss for us.”

Monge, the starting middle blocker, is Exeter’s tallest player at 6-feet and the team’s leading blocker. Needless to say, her defensive presence against the unusually tall Tehachapi squad will be sorely missed.

Starting in her place will be Brooke Oliva, who played well off the bench during their win against Porterville in Tuesday night’s semifinal — a game that reassured Montgomery that the team is rounding into peak form.

“I was really excited about the way we played (Tuesday),” she said. “We need every girl to get it done in order to win. They’re all talented in their own roles and losing any one of them hurts.”

Win or lose tonight, however, the Monarchs will likely be heading on to state, the results of which will be decided Sunday, with play beginning Tuesday.

Last year, the Monarchs barely lost in the Valley finals to Garces in five games because of a few costly errors — a loss that still rings painful for some players.

“It was a hard loss to take for us,” Montgomery said. “I don’t think some of those girls were mentally prepared for that game.”

Though they lost five starters from last season, the Monarchs continue to replenish and even thrive each year. Exeter has won Valley four times in the past six years in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006 — all within Division IV brackets.

So, to win their fifth championship in seven years would be an even more remarkable feat considering this year is their first in the tougher Division III.

Tehachapi has played ten more games than Exeter this season and flaunts a 33-4 record. Having not seen or heard much of the Warriors, the Monarchs are understandably nervous.

“I know they’re all very athletic, very tall and know how to play the game of volleyball,” Montgomery said. “I don’t think because we’re the No. 1 seed we're necessarily better than them.”

But having the top seed does guarantee home-court advantage, which is one less factor to worry about for a suddenly reeling Exeter squad.

“I just hope the girls can fight through the adversity and take on the challenge to keep practicing hard at the end of the season,” Montgomery said. “That’s when the big games are at.”