By Rick Assad
Playing without senior middle blocker Zoe Davis, one of its best players who wasn’t in the starting lineup because she was sick, the Burroughs High girls’ volleyball team still defeated visiting Summit in a CIF Southern Section Division IV opening-round playoff match on Tuesday night.
With junior outside hitter Amelia Walsh contributing a match-best 17 kills and senior outside hitter Trinity Taylan and junior opposite hitter Alex Hammeke each tossing in 11 kills, the Bears prevailed 25-11, 28-26, 25-21 and now have a date on Thursday in a second-round match at Portola, which defeated Trabuco Hills in three sets.
Edwin Real is in his 23rd season as the girls’ volleyball head coach and hopes this match will help his team in its next match.
“We got off to a fast start. We served and passed well,” he said. “They [Summit] passed better in sets two and three and were able to get the ball to their main hitters [junior middle blocker/middle hitter Kailynn Jackson and [sophomore outside hitter Aubrey Hagood]. But we also showed grit too.”
In the match clincher, Walsh’s kill tied it at 2-2 and three aces from senior setter Victoria Acevedo made it 4-3, 5-3 and 6-3.
Walsh added a spike to make it 8-4 and winners from Taylan stretched the cushion to 10-5 and 11-8.
A Walsh kill made it 15-9 and a spike from Hammeke saw the Bears (17-14 and 3-5 for fourth place in the Arroyo League) lead 17-11.
Junior middle blocker Madeline Bixler added a kill for a 19-12 advantage and Hammeke’s hit made it 24-20. When Walsh tossed in a kill the set and match was over.
The second game was tense and dramatic throughout as Walsh’s kill handed the Bears a 7-6 lead.
Junior defensive specialist Aaliyah Shinn’s ace made it 9-6 and Bixler’s kill witnessed the Bears pulling ahead 10-7. Hammeke’s spike saw Burroughs dash in front 12-9.
Walsh was on top of her game as she had kills that made it 13-12, 15-13 and 16-13. Bixler added a winner for a 19-17 lead and Bixler’s kill made it 20-19 as the Seahawks (27-4 and 9-0 for first place in the Sunkist League) needed a time out.
When senior defensive specialist Joanna Brain (four digs) added a push for the Bears, it was tied at 24-24.
Walsh’s tapper made it 27-26 and a service ace from junior setter Lily Noguchi (13 assists) made it official as Burroughs had two sets in the bank.
In the first set, a block from senior opposite hitter Amanda Meserve made it 3-0 and a kill from Walsh put the margin at 5-2.
Acevedo contributed back-to-back service aces that gave the Bears a lead of 7-2 and 8-2 while Walsh chipped in with a kill for a 9-3 edge.
Taylan’s spike made it 10-3 as Summit requested a stoppage in play. Walsh’s ace made the score 14-3 and Taylan’s kill saw the Bears lead 15-3.
Walsh’s spike made it 24-9 and a push from Walsh saw the Bears claim the set.
Senior defensive specialist Emma De Cunzo Steinglass finished with 15 digs for Burroughs and sophomore setter Lola Juarez added 14 assists.
