Providence girls’ volleyball can’t stop Archer
Though staying competitive in the increasingly difficult Liberty League has proven challenging for the Providence High girls’ volleyball team this season, the squad continues to battle.
That was the bright note once again for coach James Jimenez as his Pioneers showed gumption, but ultimately lost to league-leading The Archer School at home on Tuesday evening, 25-15, 25-20, 25-20, on Dig Pink Night.
“I told the girls since the summer that it’s the little things,” Jimenez said. “I felt like we’re a good team, but it’s the little things like communication that hurt — like balls falling in between players and nobody going for it.
“I’m proud of the way the girls played and, in this league, with the inclusion of Independence League champion Glendale [Adventist], it’s a really, really good league. It’s been that way for the last couple of years.”
Perhaps Providence’s best effort came in the second game.
The CIF Southern Section Division XIII sixth-ranked Pioneers (15-5, 1-5 in league) trailed, 19-16, after an ace from Archer’s Clara Gasparetti.
Providence rebounded with two straight points with the latter a kill from junior Gisselle Camonayan, who finished with 14 digs.
A centerline violation by the Pioneers was followed by a kill from Providence’s Ayah LeBrane, which brought the home squad within 20-19.
Unfortunately for Providence, that surge was a last gasp as CIF-SS Division VII fifth-ranked Archer (23-4, 6-0) finished on a 4-0 run, which included the game-winning kill from Gasparetti (seven kills and five aces) as the Panthers won, 25-20.
Perhaps the set’s turning point came as Providence led, 14-11, and had a shot from Archer’s Cydney Johnson ruled out of bounds. The head official, however, reversed the call, ruled the ball had been tipped and instead of Providence leading, 15-11, its advantage was trimmed to 14-12.
“For us, I think we played well, but it’s the little things on offense and defense that kill us,” said Providence junior outside hitter Talia Patterson, who finished with a team-high eight kills. “We need to pick each other up, we need to communicate better. I really think they’re minor tweaks.”
Patterson tried her best to lead her squad to victory in the third set.
When Archer went up, 17-16, Patterson responded with a kill. With the score tied at 18, the outside hitter smacked another spike to put her squad up by one.
The efforts, though, weren’t enough, as Archer responded with a 7-1 run fueled by a pair of aces from Rachael Boehm to win, 25-20, and close out the sweep.
“I thought we were going to pull through in the last set, but things happen,” Patterson said. “All you can do is keep trying.”
The first game was the only one in which Providence wasn’t competitive, as Archer won, 25-15.
Even Archer’s apparel topped that of Providence on Dig Pink Night, an evening dedicated to Breast Cancer Research and Awareness. While Providence players wore pink socks, Archer sported pink jersey tops.
Alyssa Camacho finished with 18 assists and 11 digs for Providence, while libero Irish Degorio tallied 10 digs and Ava Midkiff contributed five kills.
Archer’s Sophie Smyth led all players with 12 kills.
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Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.com
Twitter: @campadresports</p
