Story by: Zoe Chen
Staff Writer
Photo by: Shin-Hye (Rachel) Choi
Staff Photographer
Girls volleyball faced the Temple City Rams in a home game on Thursday, Sept. 28. Players on both teams wore pink jerseys to honor those affected by breast cancer. Raffle tickets and t-shirts were for sale at the front, with funds going to Cancer Support Community of Pasadena.
Temple City took the first set, but South Pasadena advanced later on, ultimately winning the match 3-1.
The Tigers gained an early lead, with tips and kills earning them the first four points. A kill from senior outside hitter Jenna Garner brought the score to 8-5, and an excellent save from senior opposite hitter Ingrid Zahn put the score at 12-7. After a netted Temple City hit, the score rose to 19-14. However, the Rams slowly gained points as the Tigers passed out serves and hits, and the teams soon tied at 22-22. When the Tigers were unable to get the ball over the net in three contacts, the close set went to the Rams 23-25.
“The offense was pretty good today, defensively too, they were doing really well,” said head coach Ivy Chew. “Even though they did lose the first set…I felt like overall, the game was good playing.”
Serves by senior setter Kendall Taylor gained the Tigers the first three points of the second set. A block earned the Tigers another point, putting the Rams further behind. After a kill from senior outside hitter Helena Foord, which brought the score to 8-2, the Rams called a time out.
The Tigers had excellent kills in the second half of the set. An extremely long rally, which included great saves by Garner, Taylor, and junior libero Ava Conti, ended in the Tigers’ favor after a kill by Zahn went down on the Rams. Another point was awarded to the Tigers when Taylor, instead of setting the ball, hit it over the net, surprising the Rams and bringing the score to 12-3. With their sizable point lead, the Tigers were able to win the set comfortably. When the Rams tipped the ball into the net, the Tigers gained the last point they needed, winning the set 25-14.
The third set brought an early tie. While a kill by Foord brought the Tigers to 6-3, Ram blocks evened the score out at 7-7. The Tigers then pulled ahead with strategic tips, and were able to gain a five-point lead, 19-14, after Foord hit the ball and it went out with a failed block from the Rams. The Tigers maintained this lead throughout the rest of the set, and a kill by Garner followed by an out-of-bounds Ram serve brought the score to 25-20, winning the Tigers the set and bringing the match score to 2-1.
The Tigers began their fourth and final set with a burst of energy. The Rams called an early time out after middle hitter Senya Dorny blocked the ball, putting the Tigers ahead 6-2. A Temple City fumble and a kill by Foord raised the score to 11-5, and when Taylor deceptively tipped the ball over the net, the Tigers were ahead by eight points, 16-8. After the Rams hit the ball out again, the Tigers held a 10-point advantage, 21-11. A tip by Zahn concluded both the set and match in the Tigers’ favor, with the score finalizing at 25-16 and the game 3-1
“I feel like overall it was good, I think we got a chance to learn off of our first set and make sure to keep progressing,” Garner said. “I think it was a really good game.”
Girls volleyball will next face the Mayfield Cubs on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 5:30 p.m. at home.
