First published in the Oct. 13 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
The La Cañada High School varsity girls’ volleyball team more than likely secured its second consecutive Rio Hondo League title last Wednesday after sweeping host South Pasadena, 25-23, 25-22, 25-14.
Junior Haley Clark amassed 20 kills, 10 digs and five aces, while junior Tatum Purdy racked up 36 assists and one kill. Sophomore Ashby Zubchevich tallied nine kills and nine digs, junior Chloe Nussbaum registered 15 digs, one ace and one assist, and senior Nikki Hughes collected six kills, two digs, two assists and one ace. Freshman Vani Tatoulian posted six kills, senior Rachael Salit produced two aces and two digs, and sophomore Katie McGuinness finished with one dig.
“I am so excited. From the first day of the season, you always have dreams of playoffs and CIF but before you can get there, you have to win league,” LCHS head coach Laura Browder said. “It was really important that we come in here and stay undefeated in league.”
The Spartans took a break from league play and competed in the Division I Southern California Invitational in San Diego between Oct. 7-8, finishing second in the silver bracket with a 5-3 record.
La Cañada lost its title contest last Saturday after falling to Perry High of Gilbert, Arizona, for the second time in as many days, 25-17, 25-21. Clark finished with 11 kills, four digs and one ace, Purdy racked up 19 assists and six digs, and Zubchevich registered nine kills, three digs and one ace. Hughes collected four kills, two digs and one ace, Nussbaum recorded nine digs, five assists and two aces, and Tatoulian and McGuinness each had one block. The Spartans advanced to the title match by sweeping JSerra Catholic High of San Juan Capistrano, 25-15, 26-24.
LCHS defeated Santiago High of Corona for the second time in as many days, 25-21, 25-20, as Clark posted 10 kills, three digs, two aces and two assists. Purdy produced 24 assists and two aces, Zubchevich collected nine kills and four aces, and Hughes tallied six kills, one dig and one block. Nussbaum recorded seven digs and one ace, Tatoulian had two kills and three blocks, and McGuinness registered one block.
La Cañada found itself competing in the silver bracket after losing the play-in match Saturday morning against Eastlake High of Chula Vista, 26-24, 25-15. Purdy finished with 14 assists, four digs and two aces, while Clark produced seven kills, five digs and four blocks. Hughes posted five kills, five digs, two aces and two blocks, while Zubchevich recorded five kills and four digs. Nussbaum registered four digs and one ace, McGuinness tallied two kills and three blocks, and Tatoulian had one kill, one dig and one block.
The Spartans finished second in pool play last Friday after losing their only contest of the day against Perry, 25-17, 25-19. Zubchevich led with 10 kills while Purdy collected 12 assists, one kill and one ace. Hughes tallied three aces and two kills, Clark recorded four kills, and Tatoulian had one kill.
LCHS posted its season-best 13th consecutive victory after defeating Francis Parker High of San Diego, 25-21, 25-18. Purdy racked up 18 assists and two aces, while Zubchevich collected 12 kills. Hughes finished with five kills and one ace, Clark produced four kills and two assists, and Tatoulian had three kills. Nussbaum registered three assists and one ace, while McGuinness had one kill.
The Spartans beat Rancho Bernardo High of San Diego, 25-21, 25-16, as Clark led with 11 kills. Purdy tallied 25 assists, two aces and one kill, Zubchevich had 10 kills, and Hughes registered six kills and five aces. Nussbaum finished with three assists and one ace McGuinness recorded two kills and Tatoulian had one kill.
La Cañada opened tournament play last Friday with a 25-10, 25-20 victory over Santiago, as Zubchevich led with 10 kills. Hughes had six kills, two aces and one assist, Purdy tallied 16 assists and two kills, and Clark produced four kills and two assists. McGuinness collected three kills, Nussbaum had three aces and three assists, and Tatoulian finished with one kill and one assist.
La Cañada (28-6 overall, 8-0 in league) will conclude the regular season by visiting Monrovia for a league match on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 5:30 p.m. The CIF-SS postseason brackets will be released on Saturday, Oct. 15, at approximately 11 a.m.
FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART
The Tologs took a break from Angelus League action last weekend by competing in the Division II Southern California Invitational in San Diego on Oct. 7-8, finishing with a 4-2 record.
FSHA lost its semifinal matchup last Saturday against South Pasadena, 25-18, 25-19. Junior Luisa Madrigal collected eight kills and three digs, senior Nikki Garriola recorded seven kills, four digs and two blocks, and junior Mikayla Hsieh finished with 11 assists and five digs. Sophomore Piper Scherbert posted three kills, sophomore Ally Du had seven digs, five assists and one ace, and junior Lindsey Du produced five digs, two aces and two assists. Senior Charlotte Taylor registered one ace and two digs, while junior Veronica Udell tallied one kill. The Tologs advanced to the semifinals by defeating La Jolla High of San Diego, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12.
FSHA found itself competing in the silver bracket after losing the play-in match Saturday morning against Flagstaff High of Arizona, 24-26, 25-18, 15-6. Garriola recorded eight kills and eight digs, Hsieh posted seven digs, seven assists and five kills, and Madrigal registered five kills and one dig. Lindsey Du racked up 12 digs, five assists and two aces, Taylor tallied 15 digs, and Ally Du collected six assists and five digs. Senior Erin Carney produced two digs and one kill, Udell had one ace and one block, and Scherbert had one dig.
The Tologs finished the first day of tournament play last Friday by winning a crossover match against Bonita Vista High of Chula Vista, 14-25, 25-20, 15-10. Garriola amassed 13 kills and 18 digs, Madrigal collected six kills and three digs, and Hsieh tallied eight digs, eight assists, four kills and three blocks. Ally Du racked up 14 assists, nine digs, one kill and one ace, while Lindsey Du had eight digs and three assists. Scherbert finished with three kills, five blocks and two digs, while Taylor posted 12 digs and one kill. Udell recorded one kill, one ace and one dig, seniors Ellamae Fortin and Keira Limon each had one kill, and Carney registered one block and one dig.
FSHA finished first in its pool play bracket after sweeping JW North High of Riverside, 25-7, 25-17. Garriola produced nine kills, three digs and one ace, Madrigal tallied five kills and three digs, and Hsieh registered seven assists, five digs and three aces. Lindsey Du had eight digs, three assists and one ace, Ally Du had seven assists, four digs and one ace, and Fortin posted five digs and one assist. Taylor had four aces and two digs, Carney collected two kills and one dig, and Udell recorded one kill, two assists and three digs. Scherbert finished with one kill and one dig, while Limon had one kill.
Flintridge Sacred Heart opened tournament action last Friday by sweeping Mt. Carmel High of San Diego, 25-17, 25-20.
The Tologs maintained their first-place league standing after defeating visiting Immaculate Heart High of Los Angeles, 25-17, 18-25, 25-22, 25-14, as Garriola amassed 16 kills, 24 digs and three aces. Scherbert collected eight kills and two blocks, Madrigal tallied seven kills, and Udell registered six kills and two digs. Hsieh racked up 16 digs, 15 assists, five kills and two aces, Taylor finished with 26 digs and two aces, Lindsey Du produced 18 digs, seven assists and two aces, and Ally Du 16 had assists and eight digs. Limon posted one kill and two digs, senior Emily Smith had one ace and one assist, and Fortin had one dig.
FSHA (5-1 in league, 18-14 overall) will conclude the regular season by visiting Mayfield Senior in Pasadena for a Dig Pink matchup on Friday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m. The CIF-SS postseason brackets will be released on Saturday, Oct. 15, at approximately 11 a.m.
FLINTRIDGE PREP
The Wolves won a thrilling five-set Prep League matchup last Friday over visiting Westridge School of Pasadena, 16-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-13, 18-16. Abbie Callaway racked up 15 kills, 11 digs, three aces and two blocks, while Jessica Powell collected 10 kills and four blocks. Amelia Bechthold tallied six kills, two blocks and two digs, while Marissa Halley posted 19 digs. Lucy Liu registered four aces and three blocks, while Clara Bassuk had three kills, two blocks and one dig.
Flintridge Prep (12-8 overall, 5-5 in league) previously edged host Providence High in Burbank, 25-14, 18-25, 12-25, 30-28, 15-8, as Callaway amassed 26 kills, eight digs and three aces. Powell racked up 18 kills, Jaleen Tseng finished with 19 digs, and Halley had 14 digs and two aces. Liu recorded three aces and one block, Ashlyn Nam produced nine digs and two aces, and Bassuk registered three kills and three digs.
Flintridge Prep (12-8 overall, 5-5 in league), which concluded the regular season at Pasadena Polytechnic on Wednesday, will learn if it earned a postseason berth when the CIF-SS brackets are released this Saturday, Oct. 15.
