Nearly a year ago, the San Pedro High girls volleyball team came up on a desperate, yet remarkable comeback from a 14-8 deficit in a winner-take-all fifth set against Harbor Area neighbor Banning of Wilmington to win an incredible match so memorable, that moment was dubbed 'The Miracle On 17th Street'.

There were no miracles needed for the Pirates on this day.

Meeting with Banning for the first time since that classic comeback, San Pedro took on a more aggressive approach against the Pilots, and although it wasn't perfect, it was still more than enough to sweep their way to a 25-17, 25-13, 25-21 victory in the Marine League opener for both teams. It was a critical win for San Pedro (2-1 overall) against a team that took them to the limit twice in a pair of five-set league duels which San Pedro was victorious in both.

"It was very important because we didn't know what was coming at us," said San Pedro senior outside hitter Paige Peterson, who was one of the main catalysts of last year's comeback. "So we had to be on our game from the start."

Indeed they were, as they bolted to big leads in the first and third sets before holding off late charges by Banning (2-1) to pull away. San Pedro dominated the middle set and only trailed twice the majority of the match. One player who shined in particular was junior outside hitter Tracy Folchi, as she used her wiry 5'11'' frame and long arms to frustrate Banning in her best match with the Pirates thus far.

"Tracy has made strides on becoming more consistent on her hitting approach," San Pedro coach Chris Ceballos said of Folchi, who had four kills, five aces, four digs and three blocks. 

Peterson had a team-high five kills to go along with a pair of aces. Senior outside hitter Allie Kittell had four kills, nine digs and a block, while senior opposite hitter Brittany Foster two kills, a block and two aces, and sophomore setter Katie Bentovoja had 12 assists, 3 kills, 8 digs and 3 aces as well for San Pedro, who next travels to Narbonne of Harbor City on Thursday.

San Pedro has lost the last eight matches in a row to the reigning Marine League co-champion Gauchos, a fact that Peterson and the rest of the Pirates are aware of as they look to end that dubious streak.

"We need to start and end that match with a lot of energy and just play our game," Peterson says. "We can't let any nerves get to us."

(Photo courtesy of Yvonne Foster)