CV can’t catch Indians

BURBANK — The Crescenta Valley High girls’ volleyball team was able to keep pace with host Burroughs for most of the afternoon on Tuesday, but the Indians were able to get some separation from the Falcons when they needed it most.

In the final two games, Crescenta Valley hung with Burroughs into the 20s, although there was little to show for it in the end of a 25-19, 26-24, 25-21 Pacific League loss.

“We need to be tougher at critical times and make fewer mistakes,” said Crescenta Valley Coach Jennifer Ryan, whose squad (11-5, 5-4 in league) failed to pick up any ground on the second-place Indians (10-4, 9-1). “Mentally, I’m never sure which team is going to show up.”

The Falcons heated up after losing the first game and falling behind, 13-8, in the second. They stormed back to take an 18-17 lead on a kill by Leah Gagliardi.

Another key moment of the match came at the end of the second game, in which the Falcons rallied from facing Burroughs’ game point at 24-21 to tie up the game.

Crescenta Valley’s rally late in the second game was fueled by kills from Julia Adams and Tiffani Wilcox and capped by a sharply angled cross-court kill by Rachel Fisher.

But Burroughs snuffed out Crescenta Valley’s best chance to get back in the match with two quick points, the second coming on a kill by Megan Stephenson.

The Falcons weren’t ready to quit, though, coming back from an early 3-0 deficit in the third game to take a 6-3 lead on kill by Wilcox, who shared the team-high in kills at nine with Gagliardi.

Crescenta Valley clawed its way to a late 19-17 lead and entered the home stretch all tied up at 20, but the only point the Falcons scored amid Burroughs’ match-clinching 5-1 run was on an Indians’ service error.

“Some players show up every match to play and some I’m never sure what I’m going to get,” Ryan said. “They knew today was a big match.”

Ashley McFadden recorded 14 assists for Crescenta Valley, which resumes Pacific League play at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday with a home match against Burbank.