The Votes Are In!
2024 Readers' Choice is back, bigger and better than ever!
View Winners → La Salle Eliminated in Five-Set Heartbreaker
Pasadena Independent Nov 04, 2016
by
share with
La Salle Junior Victoria Ashkinos (6) goes up for the kill in the first set.
– Photo by Jacob Bigley
By Christian Romo
Down two sets to none, the Lancers roared back to force match point in the fifth set against the Knights. Four errors later, the Knights rushed to the floor in celebration, the Lancers’ season suddenly ending.
In the second round of the CIF Division 3 playoffs Thursday night in Pasadena, the La Salle Lancers lost to Santa Ana’s Foothill Knights (25-19, 25-19, 16-25, 18-25, 16-14) in front of a frenzied crowd at Duffy Lewis Gymnasium. Though the Lancers advanced further in the playoffs than in the previous season, the two-time CIF champions expected a deeper run as the top seed in their quadrant.
“We did not think our season would end so quickly,” said La Salle coach Tiare Tuitama. Though she was disappointed with the loss, Tuitama praised her team’s effort: “I’m proud that the girls fought, because that could have easily been a three-set match.”
The Knights got thirteen and twelve kills respectively from senior hitters Remi Lehnertz (5) and Imani Moreen (6), overwhelming the Lancer defense with effective passes and aggressive hits early in the match. “We have worked so hard on passing the entire year, because if you give a team like [La Salle] free balls, you’re going to lose,” said Foothill coach Mark Richards.
After dropping the first two sets, La Salle re-established their defense and took control of the match. “Our defense was unstoppable tonight,” said junior Claire Forrest (15), who led the Lancers with eleven kills, five in the third set alone. “We were picking up everything, and with our good defense, we were able to put the ball away effortlessly.”
“The first two games were a little rough for everyone,” said junior Victoria Ashkinos (6), who led the team with nine digs and helped sparked a third-set rally. “We all came together as a team in the third and fourth set,” Ashkinos added, “and just unfortunately didn’t close it out at the end.”
The 2017 Lancers will prepare for another postseason run, returning standouts like Forrest and Ashkinos, along with junior hitter Sophia Anderson (4) and first-year libero Vanessa Ramirez (7). And though La Salle’s playoff hopes ended on Thursday, Forrest will use this season as motivation for next year.
“We’re comin’ back strong,” she said. “We’re not ready to go down like this again.”
Torrance 0-3 Arcadia
The Arcadia Apaches swept the Torrance Tartars Thursday night in Torrance, advancing to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 4 playoffs. They will host their next match against the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Los Altos 2-3 Westridge
The Westridge Tigers beat the Los Altos Conquerers Thursday night in Hacienda Heights, advancing to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 4 playoffs. The Tigers will face the Rio Hondo league champion Monrovia Wildcats on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Rim of the World 1-3 Monrovia
The Monrovia Wildcats beat the Rim of the World Fighting Scots Thursday night in Lake Arrowhead, advancing to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 4 playoffs. The Wildcats will face the Prep League champion Westridge Tigers on Saturday at 7 p.m.
