Boys volleyball: Foothill stays perfect

Foothill 3, California 1 — 25-22, 25-19, 20-25, 25-15

Records: Foothill 26-1, 10-0 EBAL, California 17-14, 6-4

The Star: Foothill junior setter Nick Csongor had 11 service points and led the Falcons with 43 assists. Performing at his usual high level of play, Csongor helped energize his teammates and propelled the Falcons to a win in the second game with a fantastic shot from the far-right corner of the court with his back to the net.

The Turning Point: Foothill controlled most of the match after going up two games early. But in the fourth and final game, Foothill's fantastic passing and hitting ensured the winning streak would go on.

The Quote: "We know Cal is always a great team, and we've had a bit of a rivalry develop with them the past few years," Foothill coach Dusty Collins said. "We were expecting it to be a great game and it turned out to be just that."

Who's Next?: Foothill travels to De La Salle on Tuesday at 6 p.m.; California hosts Monte Vista on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The Grizzlies have had a modest season, but with a majority of new players, they have been surpassing many people's expectations for them. Though they were able to win one game against Foothill, they couldn't hold back the Falcons, who are going into the last four matches of the season still undefeated and hungry for another league championship.

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The Foothill High boys volleyball team has seemed unstoppable this season and in Thursday's match against California it did nothing to change that perception.

Though they lost the third game, the Falcons were in control for most of the 3-1 win defeating Cal 25-22, 25-19, 20-25, 25-15.

Foothill (26-1, 10-0 EBAL) took command early in the opening two games and, without much trouble, found itself up 2-0. But Cal (17-14, 6-4) continued to play with high intensity, the Grizzlies were able to make headway in the third game.

"We didn't play as sharp (in the third game), and we put the ball out of bounds several times," Foothill coach Dusty Collins said. "(Cal's) intensity level picked up, and we didn't perform at their level of play."

Senior co-captain Pat Berrigan saw it as a mental error for the Falcons.

"We lost a little bit of out focus, so we weren't able to pass as well, and the rest of our game suffered, too," he said.

Even Cal coach Courtney Whitaker was surprised by the Falcons performance.

"It's very rare to see Foothill out of their element, but that's exactly what happened in the third game," Whitaker said. "Our boys really capitalized on that fact, too, which was fantastic."

Cal's success was short-lived as the Falcons dominated the fourth game to finish the win.

"We know Cal is always a great team, and we've had a bit of a rivalry develop with them the past few years," Collins said. "We were expecting it to be a great game and it turned out to be just that."

Foothill saw several of its players step up during the game, including Berrigan who had 14 kills and 2 blocks. Senior co-captain Justin Fung had 12 kills and 13 digs.

One of the most outstanding performances came from junior setter Nick Csongor who tallied 43 assists and 11 service points. Csongor pumped up many of his teammates with his effort, especially on a play in the second game in which he hit the ball from the back-right corner of the court with his back facing the net, Collins said.

Cal also had several players who stood out, including senior captain Adam Slattery who had 17 kills, 5 digs, 3 solo blocks, and an ace.

The win for the Falcons is just another step towards their goal for the season: another NCS championship.

"We've had a great year so far," said Collins whose coached team for 13 years. "We're taking each game as it comes, and we are continually improving. Our ultimate goal is to hopefully get another league championship and win NCS."

Next week, Foothill will be looking to remain undefeated against De La Salle on Tuesday, while Cal will hope to improve their record against Monte Vista.