Sports

Mater Dei Heartbreak

The seemingly unbeatable Mater Dei Monarchs defeat the Bishop Gorman women’s volleyball team.

Lillian Martin '25 and Shane O'Hanley '25

September 24, 2024

The Gaels ready for their next play against the Monarchs.

Thursday, September 19th, Bishop Gorman women’s volleyball took the Mater Dei Monarchs to five sets, unfortunately losing three sets to two.

Gorman was in the driver’s seat against the eleventh team in the country for the first two sets, with the Gaels winning 25-21 their first set and then 25-19 for their second set. The atmosphere gave it the feel of the place in town everyone wanted to be. Gorman’s student section, “G Block,” was loud and very well represented, chanting and cheering the entire night. Despite the crowd noise, the Monarchs did an excellent job silencing them.

Despite being down two sets to zero, the Monarchs were able to slowly claw their way back into the game. A comeback win in set three gave the team a ton of momentum, and they never looked back. The fourth set was much of the same, and set five was pure domination, with the ladies from Mater Dei winning 15-9 in the deciding game. Head Coach Gregg Nunley stated that, “The difference between the teams and I told the kids this, they are Southern California and they are playing teams that are top 20 teams every week and before the match I even told them it would be a tough match and it’s going to be a close one but the difference is they see teams like that every week and we see teams like that three times a year”.

It was a tough loss for the Gaels, but it may also be a moment that gives the team a beacon of hope for the rest of the season. Before Thursday night, Mater Dei was not taken to a single five set match the entire season out of their seventeen games played. Starter, Ellie Prindl ‘26, believes that the loss Thursday night “taught us a lot about our team and what we need to work on and what our strengths are and how to play high teams and use our advantages and play like we usually play.”

To take the eleventh team in the country to the brink of defeat is a feat that should not be looked down upon no matter the outcome. “Last night I think we played really well and I think that is what helped us so much and they realized our tendency and started to use that against us”, stated Prindl.

The Gaels are back in action and ready for redemption at the Durango Fall Classic this weekend, with Ironwood Ridge (AZ) and Sierra Canyon (CA) patiently waiting for a chance to take on the No.1 ranked team in the state of Nevada.

About the Contributors

Shane O'Hanley '25, Current Events/Sports

My name is Shane O'Hanley of the class of 2025. I am a current staff writer for The Lance at Bishop Gorman. Throughout my four years here, I have been fortunate enough to accomplish a lot at the school, which includes co-founding the Sports Production Club, being a member of the National Honor Society and Quill and Scroll Honor Society, and being a part of the school baseball team as a left-handed pitcher. In my free time, I love to play pickleball and read. I am a huge Patriots, Red Sox, and Bruins fan.

Mya Munoz ’26, School Feature Writer

My name is Mya Munoz and I am a junior at Bishop Gorman. I am currently a feature writer for The Lance. Some other things I participate in at Bishop Gorman are social media coordinator for the environmental club and member of the Hispanic Student Union. I like to write, my favorite subject is English, and I like pottery. I am also a fan of the USC girls basketball team.