By Rick Assad
On Senior Night seven upperclassmen started for the Burroughs High girls’ volleyball team on Tuesday evening versus visiting and longtime city rival Burbank.
They were middle blocker Khloe Pavia, outside hitter Sienna Lay, setter Savana Lay, opposite hitter Isabela Hanson, opposite hitter Leila Lazaar, defensive specialist Andrea Slobig and setter Talia Grandinetti and each had a hand in the 25-12, 25-18, 25-21 sweep in the Pacific League finale.
Up next is the CIF Southern Section playoffs for those teams selected.
Pavia and Sienna Lay stood out offensively but the others contributed in many ways.
Edwin Real is the Burroughs head coach and enjoyed what he witnessed.
“It was fun watching the kids perform together. No matter who we had on the court, they all had fun on and off the court,” he said. “It was good to see Burbank playing hard until the end.”
The Bears (23-8 and 13-1 in league for first place) assumed control of the third set by pulling ahead 5-1 on an ace from Slobig.
Savanna Lay’s push made it 8-5 and when Lazaar tossed in a perfectly timed block, the home team forged ahead 13-8.
A kill from junior middle blocker Zoe Davis handed the Bears a 17-12 cushion and Savanna Lay’s back-to-back service winners made it 19-12 as the Bulldogs (12-20 and 6-8 in league for fifth place) needed a stoppage in play.
Lazaar’s kill saw the Bears march ahead 23-19 and Lazaar’s clean stuff made it 24-18.
Sophomore outside hitter Amelia Walsh’s spike made the set and match official.
The opening game once again witnessed the Bears sprinting to a quick lead, this time 7-1 on a winner from Davis.
Sienna Lay’s kill made it 11-3 and a Davis service ace extended the margin to 14-4. Sienna Lay’s spike then made it 17-7 and her ace pushed the Bears in front 18-7.
“I thought our energy was great and it was quite a way to end the league part of the season,” Lay stated. “We’re super ready to go into the playoffs and we’re hyped.”
Savana Lay’s service winner made it 21-10 as Burbank requested and received a stoppage in play.
Savana Lay then added an ace to make it 23-10 and the game was over when Pavia hammered home a spike.
“It was super fun to end my Pacific League career with a win, especially against our rivals,” Pavia said. “I loved starting with all the other seniors. It was a really great moment.”
The middle set saw the Bears jump ahead 8-4 on a kill from Pavia and 11-7 on a winner from middle blocker Alex Hammeke.
After Hanson’s push the lead swelled to 14-9 and then 16-11 on a kill from Pavia.
Lazaar’s winner made it 18-11 in favor of the Bears.
The Bulldogs rallied as a kill from junior middle blocker Madison Yosh sliced the lead to 18-12.
Yosh’s service winner trimmed the deficit to 21-17 but a kill from Lazaar made it 22-17.
Carmen Camacho-Platas is Burbank’s first year head coach and was pleased with the effort and focus of her squad.
“I’m happy that the girls were able to gain more control as the match went on,” she said. “I felt Burroughs played a stronger match than the first time we saw them and that we improved as well.”
Camacho-Platas praised some of her younger players and some of her more experienced players.
“Our two freshmen, [outside hitter/right side hitter] Emerson Chong and [middle blocker/right side hitter] Samantha Yosh got some great kills against them,” she said. “I was also proud of how our seniors, [setter] Grace O’Connor, [outside hitter] Anya Oganyan and [outside hitter] Reagan Shchur played. Our fourth senior, [outside hitter/right side hitter] Lorin Azizian was passing really well before she got injured in the first set “
Camacho-Platas added: “Anya was able to get some great passes and kills that energized her teammates,” he continued. “Our [junior] libero Chloe Gallager was in the line of fire for a lot of strong swings from Burroughs side, and she played good defense by covering her teammates. I was especially excited to see the girls having fun and playing hard in the last set.”
Junior outside hitter Trinity Taylan added two points for the Bears as it became 23-17 and 24-17 before Savana Lay’s push sealed the second game.
