It was more than 30 minutes before game time and Taft girls volleyball was already getting warmed up. Their dances were happy and a little different.
“We are just a goofy bunch,” outside hitter Shelby Roloff said. “We’re just a wacky group who just loves to have fun. We kind of just make it all up as we go, but we have a great time together.”
Then just before game time senior outside hitter Samantha Hakimi predicted a sweep.
Taft took control early on the road against Chatsworth and made good on Hakimi’s promise. Roloff led her team with 13 kills as Taft defeated its West Valley League foe soundly 25-20, 25-18, 25-14.
“We wanted to make sure we came out attacking early,” Roloff said. “We had some unfinished business with them and so we decided to set the tone.”
And her team did. After losing to Chatsworth on Saturday at a tournament in Camarillo, Taft (25-5, 3-0) came out attacking. After an even start to open the first set, Roloff had four kills and took the lead 11-7. Sophomore Amiree Hendricks-Walker had one of her best performances and added 11 kills with a block.
“I think coming out I have to focus and with this team, it makes it easy to do that,” Hendricks-Walker said. “We have a good connection and it makes me very comfortable.”
Taft has solidified itself as the favorite to win the West Valley League after a big win last week over defending L.A. City Section champion Granada Hills. The team has the leadership of seniors libero Quintessa Reckleff and Hakimi along with the length and athleticism provided by junior setter Nieko Thomas and Hendricks-Walker.
A combination that could ultimately lead Taft to a City title.
“Right now it’s just about taking things one game at a time,” Roloff said. “We were just excited about this game and we basically just wanted revenge.”
Chatsworth (23-9, 2-1) struggled to find its rhythm all game long. Senior outside hitter Chelsea Olmedo had seven kills including five in the first set, but only two for the rest of the game.
It was two days after Chatsworth had swept Taft and played some of its best volleyball all season. Monday was a different story.
The myriad of mistakes throughout the game led Chatsworth coach Sina Aghassy to keep his team 30 minutes after the match was over.
“I just told them that we were better then what we showed today at home especially after a long day of volleyball on Saturday,” Aghassy said. “We just need to continue to get better and in our league every match, your back is up against the wall.
We just want to play good ball, but you can easily win league and then fall flat in the playoffs. I just told our seniors that they have to play with more confidence and hopefully they will since it’s their last go around at league before playoffs.”
SAUGUS >> Hart High libero Noelle Blumel watched intently as the ball rocked from Saugus’ small but gritty front line. The only player Saugus had beyond six-feet tall was their setter, and yet in the first set, it was Blumel’s team being pushed around in set one.
“I just told our team that game was not us,” Blumel said. “I felt that we just came out of the gates a little timid because we didn’t know what to expect. I just told them to remember what we’ve done this season and to maintain that confidence.”
After that, Hart went back to being the team that shared last season’s Foothill League title with Blumel’s guidance. Blumel had 33 digs in Hart’s defeat of Saugus on the road in four sets (23-25, 25-15, 25-10, 25-20).
Ruby Duncan puts down her 10th kill and Hart defeats Saugus on the road in four 23-25, 25-15, 25-10, 25-20. @LAVarsitypic.twitter.com/nsXVD23Uaa
In the third set, Blumel looked to outside hitter Megan Soto. Soto sent a roaring shot down the center and never cooled off. She finished with a game-high 14 kills, including nine in the set along with five aces.
“Overall what got me going was my team support,” Soto said. “Knowing that they had my back. Noelle is such a great leader and captain and I know when the rest of the team is down, I know she can pick us up.”
The win helped Hart (8-3, 4-0) regain its swagger after falling in two tight matches against San Marcos and Santa Barbara at the Royal Classic Varsity tournament in Simi Valley.
Blumel set the table and her hitters fed off of her. Cal State L.A. commit Shelby Grubbs had 12 kills with three blocks, middle blocker Ruby Duncan had 10 kills with three blocks, and Concordia-Portland commit Zoe DiNardo had 10 kills.
“I think we were able to pick up their tendencies a little bit faster,” Grubbs said. “Once we saw a ball come up we were just terminating it at the point and became about our offense.”
Saugus (14-7, 4-1) found success in the first set and six different players had kills. But the team struggled to pass consistently in the second and third set. Saugus came to within 17-16 in the fourth set before Hart ultimately pulled away.
Set three belonged to Megan Soto. Nine kills in the third to go along with two aces. 13 kills altogether. Hart wins set three 25-10. @LAVarsitypic.twitter.com/XOFY4Oy40O
Despite being only 5-feet-5 inches, outside hitter Kayla Tait showed she can be just as deadly and registered a team-high 11 kills. Junior outside hitter Jackie Ibarra added seven.
“Everybody scrapped really hard and there really wasn’t a ball that dropped without a body going for it,” Tait said. “I’m really proud of our team tonight. We just didn’t execute on our serving. Next time we are going to prepare our serving a lot better. We know their hitters and we are going to run our defense around that.”
Noteworthy: Senior libero Noelle Blumel anchored Hart with 33 digs in the Indians’ four-set victory over Saugus (23-25, 25-15, 25-10, 25-20) last Thursday. The win helped Hart gain sole possession of first place in the Foothill League
Blumel was strong again in a sweep over Golden Valley, which kept Hart unbeaten in league at 5-0.
LA CANADA >> Flintridge Sacred Heart outside hitters Danielle Thomas-Nathan and Peyton DeJardin have the possibility of becoming the strongest combination in the state of California.
But the duo learned Tuesday that there is still plenty of work to be done before reaching the elite pedestal that Mission League rival Marymount has routinely obtained in the past ten years.
Thomas-Nathan and DeJardin were no match for Marymount’s 6-foot-5 senior setter Grace Frohling and her team of experienced hitters.
Frohling had 15 assists along with nine kills, nine digs and two aces and FSHA was swept at home 25-14, 26-24, 25-12.
Shot goes wide and Flintridge Sacred Heart is swept by Marymount (25-14, 26-24, 25-12) pic.twitter.com/NdIzHh7WG8
“They played like freshman tonight,” coach Ernest Banaag. “Those girls on that end are juniors and seniors and my girls just got done playing middle school volleyball. It’s just the experience of being a freshman, no matter what level.”
DeJardin had eight kills and Thomas-Nathan had seven kills, but their team failed to find its rhythm throughout the match. Flintridge Sacred Heart (13-7, 2-2) hurt itself worse with 22 errors.
Marymount (23-6, 3-0) with its five Division 1 commits played the cleaner game. The only player to reach double digit kills was UCLA-bound Devon Newberry who had 10 kills and 10 digs.
It was a learning lesson for DeJardin, who admitted being slightly intimidated by Marymount’s size.
“It was tough trying to keep up with what they were putting over and trying to maintain our side,” DeJardin said. “We had to focus on them and us.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart had its opportunity to win set two and were up 24-22 after DeJardin and Thomas-Nathan got off to hot starts. They were aided by fellow freshman defensive specialist Caitlin Du. Du had three aces in the period and FSHA led 10-6.
The Tologs faltered at the end after a kill from Marymount freshman Elia Rubin and then a shot from Thomas-Nathan that fell past the back line.
“It just came down to experience,” Banaag said. “You need experience to beat Marymount and their presence with how big they are really affect us tonight.”
GRANADA HILLS >> Sometimes it takes a tough loss to ignite a team into playing its best and in the case of Granada Hills, the loss that started it all was against Taft in its West Valley League opener two weeks ago.
Since then, the team hasn’t looked back and stared right into the barrel of Taft’s length Thursday night. This time the team didn’t shudder.
Eight different players had kills and Granada Hills redeemed itself at home to its league rival in four sets (25-13, 21-25, 25-14, 25-16).
Granada Hills Charter’s Carolyn Lindsay #15 hits the ball as Taft High School’s Danae Johnson #33 and Shelby Roloff #44 defend during there West Valley League volleyball match at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Granada Hills Charter’s Camille Burman #22 attempts to put the ball over as Taft High School’s Amiree Hendricks-Walker #10 defends during there West Valley League volleyball match at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Taft High School’s Shelby Roloff #44 hits the ball as Granada Hills Charter’s Carissa Bradford #13 defends during there West Valley League volleyball match at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Taft High Schools Samantha Hakimi #15 hits the ball as Granada Hills Charter’s Carissa Bradford #13 defends during there West Valley League volleyball match at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Taft High School’s Amiree Hendricks-Walker #10 hits the ball as Granada Hills Charter’s Patricia Morris #8 defends during there West Valley League volleyball match at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Taft High School’s Quintessa Reckleff #16 digs the ball as Rochelle Kohanteb #26 looks on during there West Valley League volleyball match against Granada Hills Charter at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Granada Hills Charter’s Lea Raha #3 and Carissa Bradford #13 react during there West Valley League volleyball match against Taft High School at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Granada Hills Charter players react during there West Valley League volleyball match against Taft High School at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Taft High School’s Amiree Hendricks-Walker #10 reacts during there West Valley League volleyball match against Granada Hills Charter at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Granada Hills Charter Alhana Velasquez #2 hits the ball as Taft High School’s Aui Cook #0 defends during there West Valley League volleyball match at Granda Hills Charter School in Granada Hills Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Senior setter Chloe Burman led a constant attack and finished with 25 assists for a team which had won 20-straight sets since falling in that five-set showdown in Woodland Hills in early September.
The win made defending champion Granada Hills (16-6, 5-1) a favorite to hold the top seed when CIF L.A. City Section playoffs start in three weeks. The win also pulled the team into a tie for first place in league play.
“Ever since that loss I think we’ve just done a better job of figuring out our passing game,” Burman said. “We just decided to change some things up and it all finally started to click.”
The consistency and flow between Burman and her outside hitters showed by taking the lead 10-4 in the first set. Sophomores Alhana Velasquez and Carolyn Lindsay gave some of their best performances of the season. Lindsay had 14 kills, three blocks with an ace and Velasquez added 11 kills.
“We were definitely ready,” Lindsay said. “The win really sets us up for getting the CIF championship and we’re really excited.”
Taft (28-6, 5-1) looked sluggish from the start after having played its third match in as many nights. Setter Nieko Thomas and her team struggled to find its rhythm in its transition from passing to setting.
“Tonight they just outsmarted us a little bit,” Taft coach Arman Mercado said. “They made some adjustments, they put in a second outside hitter that we didn’t have a scouting report on. They did a great job and we couldn’t make an adjustment. As a team, our volleyball IQ has to get a lot higher.”
The player Mercado referred to was Granada Hills junior outside Ashley Chipman. Chipman entered the match in the third set and finished with nine kills. She spear headed a comeback after her team trailed 23-11 in set two. Chipman pounded away before Taft outside hitter put down a near side shot to end the set.
“She was huge tonight,” Burman said. “We needed an extra player to come in and get swings and she was our answer.”
Chipman helped bolster her team and the extra weapon off the bench proved to be a major factor down the stretch.
It was an emotional night for Granada Hills who saw the return of junior outside hitter Lia Berkholds. Berkholds played the first two weeks of the season but suffered a serious eye injury in a golfing accident. The injury left one of her eyes completely shut and will not be able to play again this season.
Despite not being on the court, her team gave her plenty of reason to cheer.
“It was just great seeing her back,” Bradford said. “What happened to her was awful but just having her presence really was amazing to see.”
Noteworthy: Lindsay had 14 kills, three blocks and an ace in Granada Hills’ four-set win against Taft. Her play helped elevate the Highlanders into a first-place tie with Taft in the West Valley League. Lindsay has come on strong this season in place of last season’s All-City outside hitter Lia Berkholds. Berkholds was set to play her junior season, but suffered a season-ending eye injury in a golfing accident. Lindsay has helped fill the void left by Berkholds.
Sierra Canyon senior girls volleyball captain Jordan Pillsbury walks into the gym 15 minutes before practice starts. The gym is loud and joyful, with children playing with all sorts of balls.
It is a different feeling from the tension that exists inside the Sierra Canyon Athletic Center 30 minutes before game time.
Amid the chaos, Pillsbury slowly goes through the same cycle she has repeated hundreds of times since she was a freshman. She pulls out the volleyball poles and laces to construct the netting, making sure her team’s sessions are timely, disciplined and simplistic.
“That’s not even her job,” says May Pertofsky, an outside hitter and Pillbury’s best friend of five years. “That job is for the freshmen and for the underclassmen. Yet she always does it, because that’s who she is. She is a leader of this team and will do the things that others probably won’t.”
Completing tasks and paying attention to details are integral to Pillsbury’s role as a player, teammate and builder for one of the strongest volleyball programs in the area.
Sierra Canyon High School volleyball player senior Jordan Pillsbury. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Jordan Pillsbury passes the ball during the teams first home game since winning the State title last year. Sierra Canyon defeated Citrus Valley 3-0 Thursday evening.(photo by Andy Holzman)
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Sierra Canyon’s Jordan Pillsbury bumps a serve during the CIF State D2 girls volleyball final at Santiago Canyon College in Orange on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Jordan Pillsbury reacts after a Sierra Canyon point during the CIF State D2 girls volleyball final at Santiago Canyon College in Orange on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Matt Masin, Orange County Register, SCNG)
Interestingly, she is an aspiring architect. As a child, she says would spend hours playing with Legos and built Star Wars ships and towers. Instead of completing a Millennium Falcon or a Death Star, however, she would think deeply and imagine, taking the tools and pieces around her and turning them into her own creations.
The care and vision shown on the court has become part of her identity as a player. Any role that needs to be filled on the court, she does with precision. Off the court, she is the calming force that keeps the defending CIF State champions focused.
Pillsbury is part of an elite core of seniors, led by Pertofsky, and underclassmen that includes Taylor Simpson and Jaylen Jordan.
“Everyone knows that she is that glue, that person everyone can rely on,” Pertofsky said. “That person who is always on the court and never misses practice and is always here working hard. She’s so dependable.”
It has been a year of changes for Pillsbury. She has gone from playing opposite for three seasons to now becoming her team’s libero — a complete switch in roles. Once a primary offensive weapon, she is now the anchor of her team’s defense.
Not only has she had to switch positions, but filling the role that was once held by Zoe Fleck, who’s now making an impact as a freshman at UC Santa Barbara.
“The biggest adjustment for me was being one of the leaders on the court,” Pillsbury said. “I really had to step up and start taking on that passing role for everyone.”
The quiet Pillsbury had to take a page out of the playbook of her father, Sierra Canyon athletic director Rock Pillsbury. She had to adopt her father’s loud and energetic personality and have a voice that can be heard throughout the hallways of the gym and on the court.
“I felt like I had to go through a little bit of a reconstruction,” Jordan said. “Just forcing myself to become a little bit louder, talking every play. My dad told me that he was quiet and shy too, but told me someday I would learn to talk to everyone.
“Coming in as a freshman, I feel like I’ve grown with my self-confidence. Just becoming more of an outspoken person and allowing my opinion to be heard. Volleyball has really helped me grow as a person.”
It is a change that her coach, Stefanie Wigfall, has noticed in her last four seasons, having overseen Pillsbury’s growth.
“(Jordan) was definitely shy when she first came here,” Wigfall said. “She was always a great athlete, but she was still finding her voice.
“The thing about it is I always saw the leadership in her because of the way she acted, that it would only be a matter of time before her voice would match up with the way she carried herself.”
She may not be on any major colleges’ radar right now, but that doesn’t mean what Pillsbury has accomplished this season has been any less impressive in switching positions and being asked to take over for one of last year’s most dynamic volleyball players.
Sierra Canyon is on track for another CIF Southern Section title and possibly more.
“Her growth has come in watching film and asking, ‘What can I do to fix this small detail?’” Wigfall said. “What has made her season so amazing is the amount of training that hasn’t had to occur. It has allowed me to focus on some of our younger players. And I think Jordan sees that I have to bring up this younger core, and so she takes it upon herself to make sure she is handling her responsibilities. Every game I see her unlocking more skills at the position and making bigger plays.”
Her intelligence and leadership skills are going to ultimately help Pillsbury win not just on the volleyball court, but in her quest to find her own identity. Her teammates and coaches marvel at her thirst for knowledge.
Wigfall calls her a “walking encyclopedia.”
“If you were to put her on Jeopardy! she would absolutely win,” Wigfall said. “Whenever I need an answer, I don’t even have to use Google. All of us on the team will turn to Jordan and she’ll have the answer.”
Beyond the high expectations that come with being a Sierra Canyon volleyball player, there is a bigger world out there for Pillsbury that she is ready to immerse herself in. She wants to play volleyball in college, but at a school that will allow her to pursue her passion of creating and designing.
One of the schools on her list is Barnard College in Manhattan, which would be a perfect landing spot for someone who would spend hours taking materials and shaping them into their own vision.
“I really just want to innovate the world, make it interesting and make it accessible to other people,” Pillsbury said. “Making the world a little more eco-friendly and making buildings that interest people and cause them to think a little bit more.”
Lake Balboa College Prep Magnet principal Robert Clarke, left, and coach Richard Zuniga have brought athletics back to the school this year with the launch of the girls volleyball team, which recently won its first game. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
High-schoolers Rebecca Galadjian and Knarik Tadevosyan take a short walk every afternoon after they finish a day of classes at Lake Balboa College Prep Magnet.
They pass frolicking grade-schoolers on the blacktop playing tag or handball against a wall on their way to Mulholland Middle School’s gymnasium, where their next task awaits them: setting up the volleyball net for practice.
Not only does their school not have athletic facilities, the middle school’s gym doesn’t even have holes in the hardwood where traditional volleyball poles are placed to stretch a volleyball net.
“We asked around to get gym time somewhere,” coach Ricardo Zuniga said. “Local parks said no.”
Instead, Galadjian and Tadevosyan hang a makeshift net made up of three strung together that spans wall to wall, which resembles the shape of a swooping banner that you might see at a town fair.
With no gym of their own, Lake Balboa College Prep's team works out at nearby Mulholland Middle School with cobbled-together nets held up by rope and twine. Despite this being their first year in competition, the team recently won its first match. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The makeshift net used by the Lake Balboa College Prep girls volleyball team for practices is seen at Mulholland Middle School. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Lake Balboa College Prep volleyball players practice their serves. The rookie team has a 4-11 record. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Lake Balboa College Prep coach Richard Zuniga watches his team practice at nearby Mulholland Middle School. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Lake Balboa College Prep volleyball players Anaiah Innis, #19, and Nicole Lewis, #16, work on their blocking technique. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
None of the girls on Lake Balboa College Prep's team had ever played organized volleyball before. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Lake Balboa College Prep hadn't had an athletics program since 2011. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Lake Balboa College Prep Magnet principal Robert Clarke, left, and coach Richard Zuniga have brought athletics back to the school this year with the launch of the girls volleyball team, which has a 4-11 record in its first season. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“The first two, three weeks of practice were out on the blacktop everyday,” Zuniga said. “The gym was like heaven compared to the blacktop — can’t hang a real net, but I’ll take it.”
Funny thing is, the girls wouldn’t know the difference between setting up a traditional net and hanging their net because none of them had ever played volleyball before. The unorthodox preparation is now a norm for 20 student-athletes in their inaugural season after the school dropped its athletic program almost 10 years ago.
“This school has been without an athletic program for too long,” second-year principal Robert Clarke said.
Seven years to be exact.
“I had to give these students something to be a part of, something to remember,” he added.
Bringing back athletics
Just 584 students go to the K-12 school. And only 153 make up the high school student body.
Clarke, a former longtime vice principal in the Los Angeles Unified School District, paved the way for the school’s athletic resurgence.
He ran cross-country at USC in the late 1980s. He also oversaw athletics as a vice principal during his stints at Taft, Reseda, and Kennedy before landing at Lake Balboa College Prep in 2017.
“I know that athletics can provide young student-athletes with an opportunity to pursue something, get excited about something,” said Clarke. “Some of the best memories aren’t even in competition sometimes. It’s the team dinners, the bus rides, things like that.”
Clarke didn’t just spearhead the change for athletics to return but was also instrumental in changing the school’s name on June 12 of this year.
After being approved by the Los Angeles Unified School District and the L.A. City Section for athletics, girls volleyball was deemed the forefront of the athletic revival, but it’s not the first time the school has seen athletics brought back to life.
Formerly named Valley Alternative Magnet, the athletic program was dropped in 2011 due to LAUSD budget cuts. Then-athletic director Mike Soto, who was on staff at the school for 33 years, saw what he had built fall apart quickly.
“Our first girls volleyball team was in 1990, I was the coach,” Soto said. “We had some great teams, especially in early 2000s. Athletics was just one aspect of what made our school so great. We had a very smart student body that impacted the community.”
Soto spent 20 years coaching, the last two as the athletic director, before the administration decided athletics would be cut.
“I know that athletics can provide young student-athletes with an opportunity to pursue something, get excited about something.”
— Robert Clarke, principal at Lake Balboa College Prep Magnet
Fast forward seven years: Clarke is doing what Soto did in 1990.
“The primary function of this school is to prepare its students for college — and a college campus,” said Clarke. “Athletics is one of the elements that needs to be provided to our students.”
Clarke was hired as the principal in June of 2017, and he contacted the Section office in November to inquire about bring athletics back to the school. He submitted an application in December, attended the Board of Managers meeting in February of 2018, and was approved in March.
“It was a rather simple process getting approved for athletics,” said Clarke. “But then we had to figure out what sports to provide, what sports our students would be interested, and how to get jerseys in time for any fall sports.”
That’s when Clarke went class to class during the spring semester to ask students if they’d be interested in athletics in the coming fall.
“The answer was a resounding ‘yes,’” he recalled.
Athletic director Tom Auten was hired, volleyball coach Ricardo Zuniga and cross-country coach Brian Acosta were brought in, and athletics were back.
“When I heard a volleyball team was being put together, I got so excited,” Tadevosyan said.
Starting from scratch, the feeling of victory
Excitement and interest are all that matter.
The girls volleyball team is made up of 20 total players, 10 on varsity and 10 on junior varsity. No seniors.
Not one player has any previous volleyball experience.
“The first day of practice was rough. We couldn’t even get the ball over the net,” said Zuniga.
Zuniga was previously the coach at Triumph Charter in Sylmar, where he was the coach of the boys volleyball team for five years before also coaching the girls program for his final three years at the school. Just this past spring, Zuniga led the boys program to a Division IV City championship.
“Principal Clarke presented me with an opportunity here. I had to take it,” said Zuniga. “Yes, there have been frustrating days going from coaching a championship team to teaching the game from scratch. But I’ve also experience the most gratifying moments of my coaching career watching these young ladies work every day.”
From teaching the basic rules to implementing technique, Zuniga began to work with the girls who simply showed up every day.
“Once I showed them how to serve, how to get the ball over the net, their confidence began to grow. I took that energy and moved it to the next thing, and we built from here,” Zuniga explained.
Learning the game was the team’s biggest hurdle.
Only one girl, Lindsay Lopez, has ever competed in organized sports before — she played soccer. Not one member of the team had ever felt the thrill of winning an athletic competition.
But when it happened for the first time on Sept. 12, they didn’t even know it.
“We forced a fifth set. … The team was so focused on each point, we didn’t even care about the score. It was the first time we learned that the final set only goes to 15, not 25,” Galadjian said with a reminiscent laugh.
The team had never forced a fifth set before Sept. 12. Luckily, they learned the fun way that the final set is played to just 15. Galadjian recalled that when match point hit the ground and the official blew the whistle, the girls were confused.
“I had to tell them they won,” coach Zuniga said. “It truly revealed how new everything was to them. It was funny, too.”
Despite the team’s 4-11 record, winning has become somewhat familiar.
More sports to come
Tom Auten was one of Clarke’s most impactful hires. Auten, who was formerly a girls basketball coach at San Fernando High, has been one of the guiding forces for getting more students to participate in other sports. He also takes on the task of scheduling games for a program that has no league.
Even so, the school provided girls volleyball along with boys and girls cross-country this fall. It will have boys and girls basketball this winter, and boys volleyball in the spring.
“When our student-athletes put those jerseys on, they are suddenly role models for the middle-schoolers we share a campus with,” Clarke said. “Now those young boys and girls want to play high school athletics.”
Due to the small student body, it’s likely that the girls who make up the volleyball team will be the same girls filling the basketball roster in the winter.
But it’s not about wins, league titles, or CIF championships at Lake Balboa Prep. It’s about much more than that.
“These girls were just friends in class — now this team has made us sisters,” junior captain Knarik Tadevosyan said. “I never dreamt of doing anything athletic in college, but now it’s truly a goal of mine.”
Noteworthy: Jensen accumulated 140 assists, seven aces, 12 kills with a .571 hitting average, 27 digs and three blocks during the Southern California Invitational in San Diego. During the weekend tournament her team went 5-2, including a two-set sweep over Rancho Bernardo. Village Christian will be a team to watch in the playoffs for having beaten perennial contender Sierra Canyon twice this season andFoothill League defending co-champ Hart at home.
WESTLAKE >> Westlake outside hitter Katie Fleck and her team never wavered or showed any signs of weakness. Not after losing their senior outside hitter Elizabeth Crisp who went down in agony and tore her ACL against Harvard-Westlake.
After an opening season loss to Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, Westlake and its unit of depth never flinched or batted an eye.
Westlake earned its 34th consecutive win by polishing off Oaks Christian in three sets 25-15, 25-16, 25-18 in its regular season and Marmonte League finale.
The Warriors (34-1, 8-0) didn’t just break its own program record of 28 wins from last season, they shattered it.
“It’s crazy to think about 34 games in a row,” Fleck said. “It’s especially important to us because of our seniors who got to finish a season by making a record and building strongly toward a CIF final.”
Westlake showed the type of depth needed to compete against the power schools of Orange County along with the area locals which will could provide challenges in the early stages of CIF playoffs. Everyone on this team can dig, pass, set and hit.
The backrow is led by senior libero Paris Short and sophomore defensive specialist Katelyn Chen rounded out by Fleck, setters Jen Trephan and Ashley Webb along with hitter Cam Baklenko and Olivia Dinardo.
Baklenko took over for Crisp after her injury and filled the starting role seamlessly.
“My teammates were extremely welcoming and the coaches were just extremely supportive,” Baklenko said. “I just wanted to fill my role, do my part for the team not play too ahead of myself.”
Fleck finished 12 kills, Trephan had 10 kills, three aces and five blocks and Baklenko had five kills with four blocks.
“I think the important part for us is just to stay focused,” Trephan said. “It’s kind of crazy to think but even in those wins I felt maybe we could get a little ahead of ourselves at times. We just need to stay focused and realize that there is a bigger goal out there and is to take CIF.
Oaks Christian (11-18, 3-5) has a bright future ahead with sophomore outside hitter Samoa Silofau. Silofau had six kills and put her team ahead 9-8 in the third set.
Despite having a losing record, Oaks Christian could be a dangerous team in either Division 3 or 4, given its strong nonleague schedule. Senior captain outside hitter Brooke Flagler provides athleticism at the net along with protection in the back.
Flagler led her team with eight kills and fellow captain Jennifer Hance had seven kills.
“We know what we are facing in Westlake tonight they have been a solid program for a long time, but I thought we competed well,” coach George Hees said. “Flagler been solid for us all season long and we are excited in what we have with Samoa. I thought those two did an excellent job for us.”
Sierra Canyon, Harvard-Westlake, and Westlake girls volleyball received CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoff berths Saturday afternoon.
Sierra Canyon will host Harvard-Westlake, and Westlake will travel to Redondo Union on Thursday night in first-round action.
In Division 2, Notre Dame Sherman Oaks will host Orange Lutheran and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy will travel to San Marcos.
Village Christian received the No. 1 seed in Division 3 and will host Upland. Saugus, Thousand Oaks, Hart, and West Ranch also received Division 3 berths.
Quartz Hill is the No. 1 seed in Division 4. Grace Brethren got the top seed in Division 6, and Faith Baptist is Division 8’s top seeded team.
Noteworthy: Waters anchored Notre Dame’s effort in an improbable home sweep of top-ranked Marymount in its final regular-season game. Waters had 12 kills, seven digs, one block along with a .462 hit percentage. She leads the Knights into the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs against Orange Lutheran at home on Thursday at 6 p.m.
This week a new era of CIF Southern Section playoff girls volleyball begins with a new structure that will pit the top teams in the section against each other. A total of 16 teams are entered in a tight Division 1 bracket that was selected out of 51 power teams.
Two of the teams are Harvard-Westlake and Sierra Canyon, which will square off Thursday in a first-round match-up at Sierra Canyon High at 6 p.m.
Sierra Canyon (31-9) for the last five seasons has been one of the premiere programs in the state. The team went on a dominant run last season that culminated with it winning the CIF State Division 2 championship.
After a strenuous nonleague schedule that included opening the season in Hawaii, Coach Stefanie Wigfall feels her team is ready to ascend toward another state championship. Her team will be guided by outside hitter and Michigan-commit May Pertofsky, outside hitter Zoie Stewart along with setter Taylor Simpson and libero Jordan Pillsbury.
“It’s going to come down to taking care of business, running our offense and executing our defensive plan,” Wigfall said. “We have great respect for them (Harvard-Westlake), and what it comes down to is teamwork and who has the ability to handle pressure. Both teams will be playing for their season and the team that wins is the one who can put their strength on display as a unit.”
Harvard-Westlake is loaded with length and athleticism led by senior setter Lindsay Kelly, middle blocker Lauren Juzang and outside hitter Caroline Tilton. The tough Mission League schedule against nationally-ranked Marymount, along with strong teams like Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy have the Wolverines ready and battle-tested.
“The league schedule really helped make our season such a tough challenge this year,” coach Hayley Blanchard said. “Lindsay Kelly can set anyone from anywhere on the court with good or bad passes. Our middle blockers really work and we can put either two or three on the court. As long as we focus on our side of the court we will be successful.”
The new 16-team bracket is part of a change by the Southern Section to increase competition level and generate more balance among the lower divisions.
Teams that win Thursday night in Division 1’s opening round will get an automatic bid to a state regional playoff.
Other matches to watch
Division 1: Westlake (34-1) vs Redondo Union (32-2): After winning 34 straight games during the season, Westlake faces its toughest challenge against No. 2-ranked Redondo Union, a team loaded with talented. Junior libero Nalani Iosia has committed to Texas and sophomore setter Kami Milner was selected to the US Junior National 18/U team. Westlake will rely on setter Jen Trephan to pull off a potential stunner on the road.
Division 2: Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy (24-14) vs San Marcos: FSHA is led by freshmen outside hitters Peyton DeJardin and Danielle Thomas-Nathan, who have become one of the best young tandems in the southland. After a rough Mission League schedule against the likes of Harvard-Westlake and Marymount, the duo will get a chance to prove their mettle in their first playoff appearance.
Division 3: Upland (18-15) vs Village Christian (29-9)- Village Christian earned the top seed after a strong nonleague schedule that culminated in beating Sierra Canyon twice this season. Outside hitters Lydia Roleder and Mackenzie Jensen are the ones to watch for the Crusaders.
If there were any questions about the validity of Sierra Canyon’s girls volleyball team, the defending state champions made a loud and clear statement that they can play with anyone.
Sierra Canyon outside hitter May Pertofsky dominated the net, Jaylen Jordan put her leaping ability on display, and Taylor Simpson made her sets and passes look effortless.
The result was a sweep of Harvard-Westlake 29-27, 25-16, 25-16 in the Southern Section Division 1 first round.
Kiley Wallace of Harvard-Westlake passes the ball during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game against Sierra Canyon Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Harvard-Westlake players celebrate during their CIF Division 1 playoff game against Sierra Canyon Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
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Harvard-Westlake’s Britt Gronemeyer passes the ball against Sierra Canyon during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s Sidney Montgomery passes the ball against Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s May Pertofsky passes the ball against Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s Jordan Pillsbury against Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Harvard-Westlake players celebrate during their CIF Division 1 playoff game against Sierra Canyon Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s Taylor Simpson sets the ball against Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s girls volleyball coach Stefanie Wigfall during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game against Harvard-Westlake Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s Taylor Simpson celebrates a point against Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Lindsey Kelly of Harvard-Westlake passes the ball during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game against Sierra Canyon Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s Addison Peeler delivers a hit against Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Sierra Canyon’s Sidney Montgomery and Addison Peeler defend a hit from Harvard-Westlake during their girls volleyball CIF Division 1 playoff game Thursday night in Chatsworth.(photo by Andy Holzman)
Harvard Westlake had no answers for the kind of velocity Pertofsky was delivering. Pertofsky had 11 aces along with 10 kills, Jordan had 14 kills with nine digs and Simpson had 36 assists.
“I was really motivated tonight because Harvard-Westlake is known for its academic prestige, their education and their sports and Sierra Canyon is a lot smaller and we’re not as well known,” Simpson said. “Me and our whole team had the motivation to prove ourselves tonight and we really executed what we wanted to do tonight. I think they were waiting for the upset but we played better.”
Zoie Stewart with the finish and Sierra Canyon sweeps Harvard-Westlake 29-27 25-16 25-16. pic.twitter.com/2ELmCFhdlF
It was the first time Sierra Canyon played in the Division 1 playoffs after winning last season’s Division 2 title. There were questions of whether the team belonged in the reconstructed bracket that was reduced from 32 teams to 16. The team had suffered two losses to Division 3 top seed Village Christian this season.
Sierra Canyon (32-9) through its ups and downs proved it was an elite team and with the win earned itself an automatic bid to a CIF state regional field. The Trailblazers went undefeated in Gold Coast league play and beat Harvard-Westlake, who faced nationally-ranked Marymount twice in the superior Mission League.
Harvard Westlake (24-10) showed its resiliency in the first set. After being down 19-12, outside hitter Eva Lekovic and Princeton commit Lindsay Kelly led a 5-0 run. Lekovic rose up and blasted a shot down the sideline and tied the match at 27-27. A play later, Simpson put down a block and Sierra Canyon controlled the rest of the match.
Harvard-Westlake shot falls short. Sierra Canyon takes set two 25-16. Five aces by Pertofsky in the set. pic.twitter.com/vccyCEdXx3
“I’m so proud of how hard our team fought all season long,” coach Hayley Blanchard said. “I’ve never been around a group of 19 teenagers that cared so much for one another.”
Pertofsky continue to pound the back side with her serve. Simpson facilitated her team’s offense and Jordan overwhelmed Harvard-Westlake’s back row.
Sierra Canyon will face either Rancho Cucamonga or Temecula Valley Wednesday in the quarterfinals.
“We just need to continue to pass the ball well the way we have been and just continued to play with a focused mindset,” Jordan said. “We love that teams continue to underestimate us because when they do, we show them what we are capable of.”
Here are the CIF Southern Section girls volleyball playoff scores from Thursday night, along with future matchups for the winning teams in the second round of their respective division.
All second-round matches are on Saturday and will start at 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
DIVISION 1
Sierra Canyon swept Harvard-Westlake (29-27, 25-16, 25-16) and will travel to Temecula Valley on Wednesday.
Redondo Union topped Marmonte League champion Westlake (25-21, 25-12, 25-16).
DIVISION 2
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) will face Santiago of Corona after beating Orange Lutheran 3-1 (25-18, 25-15, 19-25, 25-22).
Flintridge Sacred Heart swept San Marcos 3-0 and will travel to San Clemente.
DIVISION 3
No. 1-seed Village Christian swept Upland (25-16, 25-14, 25-14) and will host Dos Pueblos.
Burroughs will take on Notre Dame of Riverside after beating University 3-1.
Hart will host Citrus Valley at 2 p.m. on Saturday after sweeping St. Paul.
Alemany defeated West Ranch 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 20-25 25-27) and will now host Arcadia in the Division 3 second round.
To see the results and scores for Divisions 4-9 click, HERE.
CORONA >> The Santiago and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame girls volleyball teams traded shots and finished Saturday’s match with roughly the same amount of kills.
The difference between the teams, and it was a small one, was efficiency.
Notre Dame had only seven attacking errors and hit at a .333 clip, whileh Santiago had a dozen errors and a .283 hitting percentage. That slight gap was one of the reasons Notre Dame earned a 25-21, 25-21, 25-20 sweep over the Sharks in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 second-round match.
“We knew we would have to be very efficient to win,” Santiago coach Courtney Krueger said. “Those sets could have gone either way, and we made a few more errors than they did.”
The first set was a back-and-forth affair with numerous lead changes. Notre Dame had two 5-0 runs and others of 4-0 and 3-0. Santiago had a 5-0 run and a pair of 3-0 streaks. Santiago trailed 21-17 but two aces by Kiki Metcalf and a kill by Erin Anderson brough the Sharks within a point. Notre Dame closed things out with three consecutive points, however, as Sarah Waters, Charlotte Morris and Jennifer Bolden each recorded a kill.
Another obvious difference was the diversity in attacking from the teams.
Santiago (17-12) once again relied on the powerful arms of senior outside hitters Erin Anderson and Kayla Pronio. The duo had 12 of the 13 kills registered by the Sharks in that opening set and 32 of 39 in the match.
Notre Dame, on the other hand, got kills from six players in the first set.
“We have some big hitters,” Knights coach Kami Ward said. “One of the great things about this team is our balance and being able to generate offense from multiple spots.”
The second frame was the tightest, as neither team led by more than two points until Notre Dame carved a 20-17 advantage. Anderson had three kills down the stretch to keep Santiago’s hopes alive, but the shots were matched by Notre Dame’s Deni Wilson.
Wilson’s presence in the middle of the court, offensively and defensively, was a factor, and she seemed to come through with a big kill or block when Notre Dame needed it most.
“We’d be at a huge disadvantage without Demi in the lineup,” Ward said. “She is only on the court for three rotations, but she goes out and makes the most of every point.”
Notre Dame raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set, but Santiago battled back and got within a point at 11-10 after back-to-back aces by freshman Kalyssa Flores. Santiago made another run late, but Wilson had a kill and blocked an overpass to end the match.
Notre Dame (21-8) hosts Lakewood St. Joseph (24-6) in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
Anderson, who is headed to BYU, had a match-high 20 kills and 15 digs for the Sharks. Pronio capped her career at Santiago with 12 kills. Metcalf finished up with 11 digs.
Wilson had 14 kills and no errors on 22 attacks for a stellar .636 hitting percentage. Simone Dominique added 11 kills, Waters had 10 and Bolden finished with eight.
Noteworthy: Pertofsky had 11 aces and 10 kills in Sierra Canyon’s sweep of Harvard-Westlake in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. The Trailblazers will be at Temecula Valley for the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Semifinals will be played on Saturday. Opponent, location and time to follow…
(Other scores will be updated as soon as possible)
DIVISION 1
Sierra Canyon swept Temecula Valley (25-15, 25-20, 25-20) to advance to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinals.
May Pertofsky had 15 kills, nine digs, two aces, and a block. Jaylen Jordan added 10 kills with 14 digs. Zoie Stewart had eight kills and five blocks, and Taylor Simpson had 28 assists in a tough road victory.
Quartz Hill defeated San Marino (25-17, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23)
Melina Lee had 29 assists and Jordyn Patton had 16 assists and three aces for Quartz Hill. Melody Paige and Keyona Grandy each had 10 kills; Faith Tarver and Amaya Smith added eight and nine kills, respectively.
DIVISION 5
Viewpoint defeated Vistamar (25-23, 25-22, 26-24)
Genevieve Franz had 12 kills and Deja Bickers had 11 kills. Trinity Stanger added 30 digs for Viewpoint.
