Athlete of the Week: SHP's Cate Desler
Season-High 27 Kills vs Aragon
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In last Thursday’s non-league showdown with Aragon, though, Desler was forced to fill someone else’s shoes — literally — those belonging to a player on the junior-varsity Gators.
When Desler arrived at SHP’s match at Aragon, she realized she had forgotten her volleyball shoes in her school locker. She went into panic mode, and after realizing she might have to wear her regular running shoes for a game, she went looking for a junior-varsity player who could match up with her size-10 feet.
Desler found a match in current SHP underclassman Sophie Wheeler.
“I was very lucky,” Desler said.
It took awhile for Desler to find the comfort zone. The senior outside hitter totaled just two kills in Game 1 and the Gators dropped the opening two sets, then fell behind 7-1 in the third. That’s when Desler kicked it into gear en route to a season-high 27 kills to lead the Gators to an 11-25, 27-29, 25-22, 25-9, 15-13 comeback win, a feat that has earned her Daily Journal Athlete of the Week honors.
“It was a sense of relief that we won but it was like, how did that first set even happen?” Desler said. “We all knew we were so much better than that. So we were really happy with how we performed in the later sets.”
How the early funk happened is fairly easy to explain. As goes Desler, so go the Gators. Such was the case last season when SHP won 26 games and advanced to the Northern California Division IV semifinals. As a junior, Desler ranked second in the West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division in kills. Only Notre Dame-Belmont senior Katie Smoot had more.
The WBAL standings shook out the same way. NDB won the league title. SHP and Menlo School finished tied for second. Now, with Smoot graduated and the recent NDB dynasty turning the page, there is a legitimate expectation the Gators will contend for a league championship.
In soldiering back from a two-set deficit against Aragon, the Gators showed the competitive fire to do so.
The Gators last won the crown in 2012, four years prior to NDB’s transitioning into the league, two years prior to the arrival of Desler, when Garrick was a sophomore. SHP shared co-championship honors with Menlo that season. For Desler, though, getting to play with Garrick for one season in 2014 was as close as she’s gotten to a WBAL championship — so far.
“As a freshman, it was my first year playing high school volleyball,” Desler said. “So, me being so young, and her being and outside hitter and my leader, I really looked up to her and thought she was amazing. … She was the best volleyball player I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Like Garrick — who is now a junior defensive specialist at USC — Desler has grown into an all-around player. In addition to her season-high kill total against Aragon, she recorded a season-best eight digs.
The varying looks of her attacks are what have helped the senior take her game to the next level though. Sure, she can still pepper a shot as hard as anyone. When she was most effective against the Dons though, she was fading and dropping as well, while demonstrating acute court vision.
“I feel I’m doing a better job of mixing up my shots,” Desler said.
As far as footwear is concerned, Desler returned the borrowed size-10 kicks to Wheeler the next day. While she was appreciative of the loaner, Desler brags on her usual choice of volleyball shoes, her Nike Zoom Kobes.
“I’m stepping up my game,” she said.
Back
When Sacred Heart Prep great Victoria Garrick graduated after the 2014 volleyball season, then-underclassman Cate Desler knew she had some big shoes to fill.
In last Thursday’s non-league showdown with Aragon, though, Desler was forced to fill someone else’s shoes — literally — those belonging to a player on the junior-varsity Gators.
When Desler arrived at SHP’s match at Aragon, she realized she had forgotten her volleyball shoes in her school locker. She went into panic mode, and after realizing she might have to wear her regular running shoes for a game, she went looking for a junior-varsity player who could match up with her size-10 feet.
Desler found a match in current SHP underclassman Sophie Wheeler.
“I was very lucky,” Desler said.
It took awhile for Desler to find the comfort zone. The senior outside hitter totaled just two kills in Game 1 and the Gators dropped the opening two sets, then fell behind 7-1 in the third. That’s when Desler kicked it into gear en route to a season-high 27 kills to lead the Gators to an 11-25, 27-29, 25-22, 25-9, 15-13 comeback win, a feat that has earned her Daily Journal Athlete of the Week honors.
“It was a sense of relief that we won but it was like, how did that first set even happen?” Desler said. “We all knew we were so much better than that. So we were really happy with how we performed in the later sets.”
How the early funk happened is fairly easy to explain. As goes Desler, so go the Gators. Such was the case last season when SHP won 26 games and advanced to the Northern California Division IV semifinals. As a junior, Desler ranked second in the West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division in kills. Only Notre Dame-Belmont senior Katie Smoot had more.
The WBAL standings shook out the same way. NDB won the league title. SHP and Menlo School finished tied for second. Now, with Smoot graduated and the recent NDB dynasty turning the page, there is a legitimate expectation the Gators will contend for a league championship.
In soldiering back from a two-set deficit against Aragon, the Gators showed the competitive fire to do so.
The Gators last won the crown in 2012, four years prior to NDB’s transitioning into the league, two years prior to the arrival of Desler, when Garrick was a sophomore. SHP shared co-championship honors with Menlo that season. For Desler, though, getting to play with Garrick for one season in 2014 was as close as she’s gotten to a WBAL championship — so far.
“As a freshman, it was my first year playing high school volleyball,” Desler said. “So, me being so young, and her being and outside hitter and my leader, I really looked up to her and thought she was amazing. … She was the best volleyball player I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Like Garrick — who is now a junior defensive specialist at USC — Desler has grown into an all-around player. In addition to her season-high kill total against Aragon, she recorded a season-best eight digs.
The varying looks of her attacks are what have helped the senior take her game to the next level though. Sure, she can still pepper a shot as hard as anyone. When she was most effective against the Dons though, she was fading and dropping as well, while demonstrating acute court vision.
“I feel I’m doing a better job of mixing up my shots,” Desler said.
As far as footwear is concerned, Desler returned the borrowed size-10 kicks to Wheeler the next day. While she was appreciative of the loaner, Desler brags on her usual choice of volleyball shoes, her Nike Zoom Kobes.
“I’m stepping up my game,” she said.
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12
