By Rick Assad
Playing good competition out of league is smart and is helpful in many ways and after Monday night’s four-set victory by Burroughs High in a nonleague girls’ volleyball match against Providence at the Fritz B. Burns Events Center, the Bears are gaining more confidence.
This is going to help the Bears when the CIF Southern Section playoffs roll around.
Junior outside hitter Sienna Lay was outstanding for the Bears and so was junior middle blocker Khloe Pavia as the visitors garnered a 25-14, 25-27, 25-16, 25-17 victory over the Pioneers.
Providence saw senior outside hitter Shannon Ferrell sparkle with 10 kills and senior middle blocker/outside hitter/opposite hitter Kylie De Vries add nine spikes.
Edwin Real has been the Burroughs head coach for many years and liked the way the team played.
“I think serving and passing made a big difference,” he said. “I thought we served well and also passed well enough to set Khloe and the other hitters.”
Early on in the fourth set, Burroughs (7-7) seized command 5-1 on a kill from senior middle blocker Caitlyn Hammeke.
The lead swelled to 8-5 on a service ace from senior middle blocker Kiana Hildebrandt.
The Pioneers tied it at 9-9 on Ferrell’s kill but junior defensive specialist Andrea Slobig’s ace made it 13-10 in favor of the Bears.
Lay’s winner made it 16-13 as the Pioneers requested a stoppage in play.
The Bears tallied four of the next five points and led 20-14 when sophomore opposite hitter Kailey Ho’s serve touched the net.
Lay’s spike made it 22-15 as Providence (7-13) once more asked for time out.
The Bears took three of the next five points including the set and match-winner on Lay’s serve.
The second set was filled with drama and excitement as it was tied eight times.
The Bears led 3-1 after a Walsh kill but an ace from Providence junior setter Isabella Aves evened it at 5-5.
The Pioneers powered ahead 11-6 on a winner from sophomore middle hitter/opposite hitter Cat Gambaro, who finished with five kills.
A service ace from senior middle blocker Luciana Mongeli (four aces) handed Providence a 13-10 edge and a kill from Ferrell tied it at 17-17.
An ace from Mongeli tied it at 21-21 as the Bears requested a stoppage in the action.
Mongeli’s ace made it 23-21 but a kill from Pavia knotted it at 24-24,
The Pioneers then grabbed a 26-25 lead on a tapper from De Vries and when senior opposite hitter Lily McTeer hit the ball out of bounds, Providence claimed the set.
First-year Providence coach Sam Tozlian was sure his team would play well but ultimately it didn’t.
“We didn’t receive well enough to win the match,” he said. “This is some of the most efficient hitting we’ve had all year, but our passing didn’t allow enough hitting opportunities.”
Tozian added: “Also we had 15 missed serves,” he said. “The missed serves didn’t give us a chance to build leads or make up deficits.”
The first game began well for the Bears who marched to an 8-1 lead on a kill from Lay and a 13-2 cushion on an ace from freshman outside hitter Amelia Walsh.
Burroughs outscored Providence 7-2 and pulled in front 20-5 as Lay added a kill to make it 14-3, a push for a 15-4 edge and a spike to make it 17-5.
Walsh’s tapper made it 23-14 and senior opposite hitter/defensive specialist Narrissa Wareebor’s ace saw the Bears lead 24-14 and eventually earn the set on Hildebrandt’s spike.
The third game saw the Bears pull in front 3-1 on a kill from Pavia but the Pioneers rallied to even it at 5-5 on a kill from De Vries.
A push from Lay made it 9-7 and a service ace from Slobig increased the lead to 12-9.
Hammeke’s winner made it 15-9 and a kill from Lay extended the margin to 19-13.
Consecutive kills from Lay made it 20-14 and 21-14 and Pavia’s push made it 23-15. The set was secured after a hitting error from Ferrell.
