Story by Julia Gildersleeve
Staff Writer

Girls’ volleyball defeated the Campbell Hall Vikings in the first game of the 2025 CIF Southern Section Girls Championship on October 22, 2025. The Tigers drew a large crowd of students and parents, who flooded into the bleachers before the start of the game. SPHS principal John Eldred supported the Tigers throughout the match, watching silently from the sidelines alongside Superintendent Dr. Angela Elizondo Baxter

The match began with a powerful serve from junior opposite Evan Taylor. In the beginning, the Tigers established a small lead by targeting the Vikings’ weak spots. After senior opposite hitter Senya Dorny smashed down the Vikings’ overpass, the Tigers led, 4-2. However, Campbell Hall started gaining on the Tigers after several consistent attacks on South Pasadena’s scrappy defense. The Tigers brushed off their mistakes and got their heads back into the game after junior defensive specialist Rian Sanchez aced the Vikings. Junior outside hitter and defensive specialist Bella Ventura aced Campbell Hall for the second time in a row with a smooth roll shot to the corner of the ten-foot line, the Tigers in the lead 12-10.

With the Tigers’ relentless attacks and remarkable defense, both teams eventually tied at 20-20. Despite the tie, both teams were determined to claim the first set. With several kills from Dorny and a diving save from Garner, the Tigers gained the set point, 25-22.

Garner served three aces in the first rallies of the second set, and Ventura followed with another one. The Tigers led 6-4, then 10-4. The South Pasadena student section was roaring with excitement and cheering. Both teams were diving for every ball, fighting to keep it in play. The Vikings were slowly advancing upon the Tigers, 18-13, before calling a timeout. 

The Vikings walked back onto the court with newfound strength. They slammed hits down onto the South Pasadena defense, leading the Tigers to slowly crumble. The Vikings bumped the Tigers out of the lead, 24-19. The Tigers were jumbled by the sudden shift and were unable to make a comeback. The Vikings claimed the second set with their unyielding hustle, 19-25.

Taylor opened the third set with a powerful serve targeting the weak passer on the Vikings. Dorny smashed down another overpass by the Vikings, granting the Tigers the lead, 7-5. Campbell Hall was losing energy and scrambling to get the ball over due to the Tigers’ controlled attacks. With another ace by the South Pasadena Tigers, they maintained the lead, 12-10. The Tigers made sure to keep the lead with four aces in a row by Bella Ventura, causing the Vikings to call a time-out with the score 20-17, Tigers winning. The Tigers fought relentlessly, not giving in to the Vikings’ explosive hits. The score was tied 24-24 with the crowd on edge. A missed serve from the Vikings gave South Pasadena the win, 25-24.

The Tigers and the Vikings were neck and neck throughout the fourth set. The teams were tied at 8-8 after some very intense, scrappy plays. However, one dropped ball by the Tigers cost them the potential lead, letting the Vikings put distance between them, 14-10. The Tigers were losing steam, and Campbell’s hits were becoming more and more difficult to return, despite the Tigers’ best efforts. Even after a monster block by sophomore opposite Stella Sheng, the Tigers lost the set 25-15, with the overall match score 2-2.

The score was tied the entire beginning of the fifth set, from 3-3 to 9-9. After a back row attack by Ventura, the Tigers were up 13-11. Noting that the fifth set only goes to fifteen points total, both teams were diving for every ball, giving it their all. The Tigers were up, 14-13, until the Vikings unleashed a powerful hit, acing the Tigers. Tied at 15-15, both teams were determined to get the final points. As the game continued, the Tigers and the Vikings put in their best effort, going after every ball. After a final shank by the Vikings, the Tigers won the set 17-15, and the match 3-2.

“I think they played great. They showed that even when the odds are against them, the other team had some really big hitters, that they were determined, and they didn’t stop fighting,” Assistant Coach Gunther Vaden said.

The Tigers’ next match will be an away game against Foothill on October 25, at 12:30 p.m.