Every fall, the Bruce-Mahoney volleyball match turns USF's War Memorial Gym into one of the loudest, most electric stages in Northern California high school sports. The red and green crowd is split down the middle, the rivalry energy palpable, and every point feels like it could swing history.

This year's clash lived up to the hype once again. St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral battled through five grueling sets before the Wildcats secured a 26–28, 25–19, 25–16, 21–25, 15–5 victory, powered by contributions from every grade level.
 

The opening set was a tense back-and-forth battle. Neither side led by more than two points, and the crowd rose with every rally. Sacred Heart capitalized late, taking the set 28–26. "We played nervous," head coach Vae admitted. "We're a young team, and their nerves showed through their mistakes, but we came together for the W." 


 

In the second set, the Wildcats began to find their rhythm. Junior Eileen Pfeffer started to impose herself at the net, on her way to a season-high record 22 kills and five blocks. Sophomore setter Giulia McManigal spread the offense with confidence, finishing the night with 49 assists and five blocks, while senior Boyd Killion chipped in nine timely swings. At the heart of it all was senior libero Lauren Nip, who anchored the back row with poise and leadership, turning in an outstanding 32 digs that kept rallies alive and gave the Wildcats second and third chances. With their defense fueling their offense, SI sealed second set at 25-19. 

The third set was the Wildcats at their best. Sophomore Bryce Killion delivered a devastating seven-point serving run that broke the frame wide open. Pfeffer continued her dominance, junior Neve Harlan added 12 kills and 11 digs, and senior middle Hayley McGee provided steadiness at the net. With Nip continuing to neutralize SHC's hitters, SI pulled away and junior Madelyn Luceno's ace secured the 25–16 win and a 2–1 match lead. For the Killion sisters, it was a moment years in the making. "Playing in the Bruce together this year was a dream come true," Boyd said. Bryce added, "It was definitely a special moment—we've been wishing for this for so long."

But SHC refused to fold. In the fourth, the Irish capitalized on Wildcat errors and fed off their student section's energy, snatching a 25–21 win to force a deciding fifth set.

The final frame became a sprint to 15, and the Wildcats never flinched. The turning point came with SI leading 4–2, when the teams battled through a 39-second rally highlighted by the hustle and heart of all six players on the court—dig after dig, block after block. The Cats outhustled and outlasted the Fighting Irish, forcing an error at the net that sent the coaches, bench, and fans to their feet and firmly shifted the momentum. From there, sophomore call up Cecilia Hecker, showing no signs of her early nerves, surged with two aggressive kills and a perfectly placed roll shot that pushed SI ahead 8–4.



With their steady defense, dominance at the net, and balanced offense, Wildcats took control. Bryce returned to the service line for another clutch run, her ace at 12–5 sending SI fans into a frenzy. Moments later, Harlan sealed it with the biggest block of the night, closing the match 15–5 and locking down another Bruce-Mahoney win.

The victory showcased the program's depth. Freshman Samantha Lowry showed poise as a young right side, senior setter Valerie Chu provided leadership with 14 assists in critical rotations, sophomores McManigal, Bryce, and Hecker shined in their roles, juniors Pfeffer and Harlan supplied the firepower, and seniors Boyd, Megan Low, McGee, and Nip anchored the group with grit, hustle, and composure.

In San Francisco's fiercest rivalry, the Wildcats proved that winning Bruce-Mahoney takes every player, every grade level, and every ounce of belief. From the freshmen breaking in, to the sophomores rising under pressure, to the juniors carrying the scoring load, to the seniors leading with grit, this year it was depth—and resilience—that made the difference.