By Rick Assad
Its overall record didn’t matter much because the Providence High girls’ volleyball team was ready for action when it faced host Burroughs on Monday afternoon.
Behind the sparkling play and hitting of junior Kylie De Vries and junior Shannon Ferrell, who combined for 21 kills, the Pioneers sideswiped the Bears 25-22, 25-22, 12-25, 25-13 in a nonleague match.
In the fourth and clinching set, Providence (11-16) seized control 5-0 on three kills from outside hitter/middle blocker Ferrell [nine kills] that made it 1-0, 4-0 and 5-0.
Ferrell’s winner gave the Pioneers an 8-2 edge and a push from outside hitter/middle blocker De Vries [12 kills] made it 9-3. A spike from De Vries increased the advantage to 10-3.
Shortly De Vries added a block that made it 12-4 and junior outside hitter/middle blocker Luciana Mongelli’s service ace extended the cushion to 15-5 as the Bears needed a rest as they asked for a time out.
Ferrell’s kill made it 19-9 and senior libero Thalia Cintron’s back-to-back aces extended the lead to 20-9 and 21-9.
The Bears rallied to slice the lead to 21-12 on a spike from sophomore outside hitter Sienna Lay, but the visitors claimed four of the next five points that included a service winner from De Vries to make it 24-13 and Ferrell’s kill for the set and match.
“I love to see us playing calm and staying in control. We have been working on finishing and trusting each other,” Providence coach Shelby Stanger said. “The team played well as a whole and everyone contributed to tonight’s win. I am very proud to coach this team.”
Trailing two games to none, Burroughs (10-10) fought like Bears in the third game, but in the early portion of the set, it was tied 1-1, 2-2 on Mongelli’s kill, 3-3 on a kill from De Vries and 4-4 on another winner from De Vries.
The Pioneers would even lead 7-4, but Burroughs came charging back to even it at 7-7 on sophomore middle blocker Khloe Pavia’s block.
It turned at this juncture as the Bears went on a 16-point run and led 23-7 on a kill from freshman outside hitter Zoe Davis.
In between, Pavia had consecutive kills that made it 12-7 and 13-7 and Pavia’s winner made it 15-7.
Senior outside hitter Tawnie Ohrt’s back-to-back aces handed the Bears a 19-7 lead and a 20-7 cushion and Pavia’s tapper made it 21-7.
The Bears were outscored 5-4 but had enough in the tank to get the set on a hitting error.
“We make too many mistakes,” Burroughs coach Edwin Real said. “Each mistake results in a point for the other team.”
The opening set was knotted three times, but the key was the extraordinary play of De Vries and Ferrell.
Ferrell’s ace made it 4-2 and a kill from De Vries made it 6-4 but a push from Ohrt sliced the advantage to 6-5.
De Vries added a spike to make it 7-5 and Ferrell’s winner catapulted the Pioneers ahead 9-6.
The Bears clawed back and tied it at 10-10 on an ace from junior opposite hitter Kiana Hildebrandt as the Pioneers asked for time out.
Burroughs surged ahead 13-11 on a kill from senior middle blocker Sadie Lomet and 15-11 on Lay’s ace.
When Lay added another service winner to make it 16-11, Providence requested a stoppage.
It became 17-12 on a kill from Lomet and 18-12 on an ace from Lomet, however, the Pioneers outscored the Bears 13-4, with a point from senior setter Gabriella Aves [11 assists] on a tap that cut the lead to 18-15.
A kill from Aves trimmed the lead to 20-18, a push from Ferrell gave the Pioneers a 23-22 cushion, Ferrell’s block increased the lead to 24-22 and an ace by Aves for the game.
The second set was even at 1-1 on a laser by Pavia and 2-2 on a service miscue.
From this point, the Pioneers took control 7-3 as Mongelli [four blocks] added an ace and led 10-8 on Ferrell’s kill.
Aves unloaded an ace to make it 14-10, but the Bears tied it at 14-14 on an ace from Pavia.
Lomet’s dagger evened it at 15-15 and Burroughs soared ahead 16-15 when Ferrell’s shot scraped the net.
Lomet’s winner made it 17-15 as the Pioneers needed a respite, and it was deadlocked at 17-17 on Lomet’s hitting error.
Burroughs grabbed a 20-17 lead on an ace from Davis as Providence asked for time, but Ohrt’s mishit evened it at 20-20 as the Bears asked for a stoppage.
Providence sophomore setter Isabella Aves [12 assists and two aces] served an ace to make it 22-20 as Burroughs requested a time out.
Lomet’s tap sliced the lead to 22-21, but a kill from Gabriella Aves made it 23-21. The set was made official when Pavia’s shot found the net.
