The Avalon High girls volleyball team closed out their regular season with an Academy League Championship after taking two matches from Orangewood Academy on Monday in Garden Grove.
The Lancers swept the first set 25-17, 25-17, 25-15. But Orangewood would take the first set of the second match before the Lancers could close out the match, 20-25, 25-20, 25-15, 26-24.
In the second match, Orangewood was looking to force a fifth set, as the Spartans jumped out to leads of as much as 10-3 and 17-9 in the fourth set. But the Lancers began to climb back into the set with a 4-0 run. Kensly Flynn started the run with a kill off a block attempt.
Hannah Hoefs had a kill off a back row dig.
The Lancers got a point from a misplay by Orangewood and then Hoefs added tap shot to the middle to cut the lead to 17-13.
A net serve by the Lancers gave the Spoartans an 18-13 lead, but the Lancers put together a 5-0 run to tie the set.
It started with a double-touch violation by Orangewood and Hoefs added a kill inside the back line to cut the lead to 18-15.
After a couple of ace serves by Elizabeth Hiniker, Kensley put down a kill to tie the set at 18-18.
The set went back and forth, but a kill by Lizette Cervantes, was followed by ace serve by Alana Moreno gave the Lancers their first lead of the set at 21-20.
The Spartans regained the lead, 22-21, but consecutive kills by Cervantes swung it back in the Lancers’ favor, 23-22.
The sent went to a 24-24 tie before the Lancers were able to close it out.
Daniella Moreno had a tap shot go off a block attempt for a point and Vanessa Rodriguez closed out the match with an Ace serve.
Prior to the Orangewood matches, the Lancers swept Newport Christian in two sets, 25-8, 25-11, 25-19 and 25-15, 25-17, 25-14. The Lancers finished the Academy League Schedule at 8-0 and were 19-4 overall.
They were ranked No. 2 in this week’s CIF-SS Division 9 poll.
They are awaiting the playoff bracket seedings, which will be released on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m.
Statistical
highlights, final four matches
• Virginia Soto had 29 aces, 131 assists, 19 kills, 5 blocks
• Vanessa Rodriguez had 161 digs, 9 aces
• Lizette Cervantes had 46 kills 77 digs 11 aces
• Daniella Moreno had 33 kills
• Hannah Hoefs had 27 kills
• Kensley Flynn had 14 kills with 8 blocks
• Alana Moreno had 8 aces
Lancers Roster
Elizabeth Hiniker
Vanessa Rodriguez
Kensley Flynn
Emily Mello
Danielle Moreno
Alana Moreno
Hannah Hoefs
Virginia Soto
Lizette Cervantes
Emma Perico
Coach – Carlos Martinez
