ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - A rematch of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division V finals between the Bradshaw Christian Pride and the Big Valley Christian Lions took place in Round II of the CIF State Tournament. 

Although the result ended up being the same as the section championship game, a much different route was taken after the Pride went down 2-0 but head coach Melissa Bowers made an adjustment that changed the game. 

“We stopped thinking about what's next and just stayed in the moment. That's when we are at our best. Just play for this one point and that's it. Once I saw that they were doing that I'm like, ‘Okay we have a fighting chance’ because we were down two and to come back and win in five is a big deal,” Bowers said. 

In the first two sets, the Pride tried putting their game plan together and there were sparks where they tried getting momentum back on their side, but the Lions were too much. 

“In the beginning, it was definitely a little rocky because we lost the first two sets and our serve receive was a little shaky, but we really came back and we just stuck to dynamics,” team captain and senior Emmerson Patterson said. 

In their section championship game, they were going blow for blow in each set, but in this match, the Pride went down 2-0 until this change of mentality was implemented in the third set and got momentum fully on their side. 

“For me, it was just like having a clear mind,” Patterson said. “Just because we beat them once, it doesn’t mean we're going to beat them again, so I really tried to have no expectations.” 

Patterson was one of the key contributors toward the comeback as she led the team in kills with 18, while senior Chloe Lester had a .400 hitting percentage and junior Taylor Williams had six blocks, according to MaxPreps. 

The first two sets of the match had taken the Pride crowd out of the equation, yet the momentum that was gained back in the third set brought them alive and the team never looked back. 

The Pride defeated the Lions in the third set by a score of 25-18, where the gym got loud, and it was evident that the Pride believed they could come back. 

The momentum carried into the fourth set where it got even louder from both players and fans and the Pride won the set 25-20. 

Even with the Pride fans being some of the most critical, Bowers said, they supported their team, and the Pride continued to follow their mantra from this season. 

“Even our own parents can be pretty critical, but our mantra has been we're playing for God, that that is what we are doing,” Bowers said. “He is in the stands; he's cheering you on and he deserves your everything.” 

In the fifth and final set, there was no doubt from everyone from the Pride that they were not relinquishing their momentum, and they were going to continue their run towards a state championship. 

They took the last set 15-8 but with every point, the fans and bench players would erupt in support of those on the floor, while players kept their composure till, they got the 15 points. 

Once Williams got the kill for the game-winning point those on the floor embraced while the rest of the Pride ran from the bench area to celebrate this comeback victory and continue their state championship aspirations. 

“It's incredible to have yet another opportunity to let their light shine and grow and they have grown so much this year. I can't even explain it to you. It's just been really awesome. I'm excited. Well go for as far as we can go and keep doing this,” Bowers said.

The Pride went on to defeat the Woodland Christian Cardinals 3-1 on Nov. 16 in the regional semifinals to move on to the regional finals against the Immanuel Eagles from Reedley on Nov. 19, after press time. 

“It's exhilarating. It's unbelievable because the group we had last year was really special and so is this group because they're so different and that's what I love about high school volleyball. You get different people on your team every year, but I think both are really memorable seasons, especially this one because I think we can go really far,” Patterson said.