The Freedom High boys volleyball team scored coach Gina McFerren’s 550th career victory and moved a step closer to a repeat state championship with a 3-1 quarterfinal victory against Cardinal Gibbons (19-8) of Fort Lauderdale on Friday afternoon.
Led by the junior duo of Matt McIntyre and Andre Aguilar, the Patriots prevailed in the first two games and won 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20 in a match that lasted more than two hours at Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” McFerren said in a phone interview. “Cardinal Gibbons is a very well-coached team.
“We played really well the first two sets. The third set we had a little bit of a letdown. We couldn’t get anything right. Fourth set we came out and refocused. They were able to get the job done.”
The Patriots improve to 28-2 and will play undefeated Royal Palm Beach (14-0) in a Saturday semifinal at 10 a.m. at the same site. The winner of that semifinal will play for the title in a noon championship game.
McIntyre, a setter and opposite side hitter, had 15 kills, 16 assists and 5 blocks, according to stats compiled for the Florida High School Athletic Association. Aguilar, who plays the same dual role, had 8 kills, 23 assists and 3 blocks.
Austin Davis, a senior, contributed 7 kills and a team-leading 10 digs. Andres Gomez, a junior, added 6 kills and 6 blocks and junior Jacob Mullen provided 7 kills as the Patriots controlled play at the net most of the way. Pablo Peralta, also a junior, had 9 digs.
There was a familiarity because several Freedom players are members of the Ocean Bay Volleyball club that is directed by Cardinal Gibbons head coach Mike Zarate.
“I talked to Mike this week about club volleyball,” McFerren said. “We’re good friends. But I did tell him, ‘Sorry dude, we’re going to have to beat you [Friday].’ “
The Patriots won the 2019 Florida High School Athletic Association title, a first for the school in any sport, before COVID-19 forced cancellation of the 2020 tournament.
This story was first published at OrlandoSentinel.com. Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
