Jim Riggio
GLENDALE HIGH-- It isn't how you start a match but how you finish
it and the Glendale High boys' volleyball team hit its peak at the end of
its Pacific League match against visiting Claremont High Tuesday.
The Nitros rallied back from a one-game deficit to pull out a 12-15,
15-7, 15-11, 15-10 victory.
"We knew there was pressure on this match and I think the guys knew
it, but once we got into it we calmed down," Glendale Coach Jack Trotter
said.
Glendale (9-6, 5-4) now needs a win over last-place Hoover High
Thursday to clinch second place in the Pacific.
Both teams began the match in a tight battle, but Claremont (8-7, 4-5)
took a 14-10 lead thanks to kills from Jarrod Jakubiak, Nick Tauaese and
Parker Meek and a Nitro error.
Claremont won the game when the timing on a quick set between Spencer
Lazara and Sang Lee was off, allowing for no Nitro return.
"For a while, we were making them look like they were all-world
blockers, but this team has played with a lot of confidence and they
don't get rattled easily and a lot of that has to do with Spencer,"
Trotter said. "He's a confident player and he never loses confidence."
Claremont continued its momentum earlier on in the second game, taking
a 4-0 lead before Glendale could answer back.
Behind the serving of Charles Kim, Glendale took a 5-4 lead, as Lazara
had two kills in the run.
The Nitros went on to take a 9-4 lead, as Eddie Kim and Hadi Burpee
had kills and Claremont had two errors.
The Wolfpack never could recover as Glendale cruised to tie the match
at one game each.
Glendale came back from a 7-3 deficit in the third game, and pulled
away after both teams were tied at nine.
After trailing, 4-3, in the fourth game, Glendale broke the match open
when Sang Lee four consecutive points to give the Nitros a 7-4 advantage.
Burpee had two kills and Galust Mkrtchyan had one in the run.
Sang Lee served the Nitro from a 9-5 lead to 14-5, as Burpee had two
kills, and Charles Kim added one during the run.
Claremont put together a run of its own, getting as close as 14-10,
but Glendale closed out the match by taking advantage of a Wolfpack
mistake.
Charles Kim led Glendale with 19 kills and Burpee added 14. Lazara had
13 kills and 14 digs and Eddie Kim had nine kills and 15 digs.
