By Rick Assad
It was the fourth time the Burroughs High girls’ volleyball team has stepped onto the floor this season and so far, the results are looking splendid after taking out visiting Granada Hills Charter in a nonleague encounter on Thursday.
Two quick games were in the books for the Bears and the opportunity for a sweep slipped away as the Highlanders fought back to claim the third game, but saw the hosts seize control of the fourth set and the match.
For the record, the scores were 25-15, 25-19, 16-25 and 25-15 behind the capable leadership of senior middle blocker Sadie Lomet.
“We served well at the right places,” longtime Burroughs coach Edwin Real said. “Our passing was good enough to get the ball to Sadie often.”
Not to be overlooked is the overall play of senior outside hitter Tawnie Ohrt and junior opposite hitter Kiana Hildebrandt.
This is a formidable trio and something that opposing teams are going to have to prepare for.
The fourth set saw it deadlocked 1-1 on a block from Lomet and 2-2 on a tapper from junior middle blocker Naomie Zavala.
The Bears (3-1) tallied the next four points including a kill from Lomet to lead 6-2 and caused the Highlanders to ask for and receive a time out.
Lomet’s kill made it 10-5 and sophomore outside hitter Sienna Lay’s winner gave the Bears a 12-6 edge.
Hildebrandt’s push made it 14-9 and Lomet’s kill saw the Bears lead 16-9.
Another tapper from Lomet made it 18-11 and Lomet’s service winner increased the margin to 22-12.
Senior middle blocker Tara Rauenswinder’s block made it 24-15 and when Granada Hills Charter’s Alexis Cuan’s hit went out of bounds, the match was over.
The four-setter began with Burroughs taking a 6-2 lead on Ohrt’s ace but the Bears had to rally to tie it at 10-10 on Lomet’s kill.
Lomet was a wizard on the floor as she added yet another winner for a 15-12 lead and Hildebrandt’s service ace made it 17-12.
Lomet’s kill increased the lead to 19-13 and Lomet’s laser pushed the margin to 23-15 before the Bears collected the next two points for the set.
The second game was tied 1-1, 3-3 on Ohrt’s kill and 5-5 on a service error by Granada Hills Charter’s Valeria Bellodas-Lazo.
An impressive 8-0 run followed as Ohrt added three consecutive aces that made it 11-5, 12-5 and 13-5.
Junior opposite hitter Lily McTeer’s kill made it 16-11 in favor of Burroughs, 21-15 on Ohrt’s winner and Lomet’s dagger pushed the lead to 22-15 as the Highlanders (0-1) needed a stoppage in play.
Lay’s softie made it 23-18 and in short order, sophomore setter Savana Lay’s ace gave the Bears two games to none advantage.
Granada Hills Charter dominated the early going of the third set as it led 3-0 on an ace from Julie Dupont and 9-4 on a kill from Veronica Bellodas-Lazo.
The Highlanders would not be caught as they led 15-10 and 18-12 on spikes from Valeria Bellodas-Lazo.
Cuan’s blast made it 21-15 and Cuan’s push extended the lead to 24-16 before Joanne Velasquez’s ace sealed the set and sliced the lead in games to two to one.
