Burroughs volleyball ends league with rivalry win over Burbank

Burroughs High’s girls’ volleyball team had the opportunity to control its destiny as far as its final league placement when it took on cross-town rival Burbank Tuesday evening.

With Arcadia having already secured the Pacific League championship last week, the Indians – last season’s champion – could nail down second place with a victory against the Bulldogs in the regular season finale for both teams.

Burbank came into the match seeking a share of city bragging rights, as the Bulldogs would finish fourth in league no matter what the outcome.

Behind the play of junior Marin Grote, Burroughs defeated Burbank in four games for the second time this season, earning a 25-14, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21 victory on Burbank’s home floor.

“When we’re playing Burbank, before the game I get really hyped up,” said Grote, who led all players with 21 kills. “The whole team, we were excited for this. But when it comes to the game itself, personally, I like to keep my composure and just I try and play calmly.”

Burroughs (21-9, 12-2 in league) finished second with its only two league losses coming against titlist Arcadia (26-1, 14-0). The Bulldogs (16-10-3, 7-7) get the fourth spot behind Crescenta Valley (17-11, 10-4). Had the Indians lost and the Falcons won, the teams would have tied for second.

“With the league over, it’s time for us to concentrate on the playoffs,” said Burbank Coach Karl Rojo, as the CIF Southern Section playoff parings are set to be released Friday. “It’s like a clean slate for us. We have to just put what has happened behind us and work hard so we’re ready for the playoffs.”

Burroughs also received eight kills from sophomore Juliana Van Loo and five from senior Caleigh Paster.

The teams opened the first game with neither able to gain an early advantage, as the score was tied at 7. But the Indians quickly took control and enjoyed a six-point lead at 15-9. The Bulldogs had problems erasing the deficit and could only whittle the advantage down to four the rest of the way.

“We didn’t want to take Burbank lightly,” Burroughs Coach Edwin Real said. “The last time we played them, they came out and won the first game, so we didn’t want that to happen this time.

“We started to have success when we started to go to Marin more. But we have some good players on this team and what was key was we got some key digs in some important situations.”

Things were tight for most of the second game. Burroughs never led through the first half of the stanza and Burbank could only maintain a two-point lead. The Indians took brief leads at 13-12, 16-15, 18-17 and 22-21, but, in each instance, the Bulldogs battled back to surge in front. Burbank went ahead late, 23-22, on an ace from junior Elizabeth Kvryan. Burbank took the game and knotted the match at 1 after a Burroughs attacking error and a kill from junior Melissa Daniel (eight kills).

In the third game, the Bulldogs led early, 6-3, but couldn’t maintain their momentum. Burroughs went in front by six, 15-9, following a kill by Grote. The Bulldogs made up some of the deficit and trailed by just two, 18-16. But the Indians ended the game on a 7-0 run to take the lead in the contest.

“There were just some errors during crucial times in some of the sets that kind of hurt us,” Rojo said. “We just couldn’t stay focused during those moments.

“The girls fought hard and they were pretty disciplined on defense for the most part. We just couldn’t hang toward the end of some of those sets.”

Burbank had a lead deep into the fourth game at 19-16. Burroughs was able to stay close and forged ahead, 21-20, on a stuff block from Paster. The Indians kept coming and when they took a 23-20 lead they had completed a 7-1 run. However, two consecutive kills by Daniel put the Bulldogs right back into the mix at 23-22. But Burroughs responded back with a kill from junior Julianna Cottrell. The Indians closed out the set and game when a Burbank kill attempt was ruled wide.

Senior Hailey Heath had nine kills for Burbank.