By Rick Assad
Close doesn’t really describe how fierce and determined the battle was between host Burroughs High and Northwood when the two teams faced each other in a CIF Southern Section Division IV girls’ volleyball opening-round playoff match.
Five sets were needed including the last two memorable sets on Thursday night as the Bears claimed the opener, lost the next two, but rallied and nabbed the final two sets for the match.
For its titanic effort, Burroughs will play at Millikan on Saturday in a second-round clash with a 6 p.m. start.
The scores were 25-15, 15-25, 17-25, 25-19, 16-14 and will be talked about for a long time.
Longtime Burroughs coach Edwin Real was pleased with the final outcome.
“We made a couple of adjustments on defense and personnel,” he said. “We had to rally so our season wouldn’t end. We just kept fighting. It was good to see.”
Burroughs was led offensively by three players, and they were senior Kiana Hildebrandt with 13 kills, freshman outside hitter Amelia Walsh with 11 and junior middle blocker Khloe Pavia with 10 kills.
“I was impressed by my team’s stamina and ability to push through together through the tough times in the game,” said Hildebrandt, a middle blocker. “I was so impressed how my team came together during the fourth and fifth set and really supported each other through each point. I think it was a real test on our mental ability and team dynamic.”
The clincher was tied nine times and began with Northwood ahead 2-0 on an ace from junior outside hitter Liz Jung, who played superb.
The Timberwolves (19-13) led 5-3 on a push from sophomore outside hitter Gwyneth Guevarra, who also played well.
The Bears (18-12) roared back and tied it at 5-5 on a kill from Walsh and a winner from Hildebrandt leveled it at 7-7.
A push from junior setter Savana Lay knotted the score at 12-12 and a tapper from Pavia tied it at 13-13.
A serving error from senior middle blocker Sofie Christensen handed Burroughs a 15-14 lead and a service ace from sophomore defensive specialist Emma De Cunzo Steinglass made it official as the Bears moved on to Saturday’s second round match.
The fourth set saw the Timberwolves pull ahead 4-1 on a kill from Guevarra.
Northwood darted ahead 7-3 on a push from Christensen but Walsh’s hammer tied it at 8-8.
The set was knotted at 12-12 on a service winner from Burroughs junior defensive specialist Adrea Slobig and an ace from junior outside hitter Sienna Lay made it 16-14 in favor of the Bears as the visitors called for time out.
Burroughs outscored Northwood 6-3 and led 22-17 on a blast from Walsh.
The Bears led 23-19 on a push from junior outside hitter Sienna Lay and a hitting mistake from Jung evened it at two sets apiece.
The Bears began the initial game with an 8-2 cushion on Hildebrandt’s kill and Walsh’s push made it 11-4.
Hildebrandt’s spike increased the margin to 14-6 and Pavia’s blast made it 17-8. Back-to-back daggers from Walsh increased the lead to 20-10 and 21-10.
Senior opposite hitter Lily McTeer’s service winner gave the hosts a 24-11 advantage and a bullet from Hildebrandt gave the set to the Bears.
The second game began with the Timberwolves leading 4-0 on an ace from Jung and a push from Northwood junior opposite hitter Kaiya McDaniel made it 9-5.
Jung’s winner made it 12-8 and an ace from Jung extended the lead to 17-9.
Guevarra’s kill handed the Timberwolves a 19-11 lead and a push from Jung made it 24-15. Jung’s spike gave the Timberwolves the game.
Northwood was never headed in the third set as it led 9-2 on a kill from Guevarra.
Guevarra’s spike made it 11-3, McDaniel’s push increased the cushion to 13-6 and then 17-8 on a block from Guevarra.
Guevarra’s kill made it 20-11, Jung’s winner pushed the cushion to 23-16 and the set was won on an ace from senior libero/defensive specialist/outside hitter Ava Linker.
