Providence volleyball outlasts Glendale Adventist in league

By Jeff Tully

Oct. 3, 2017 6:45 PM PT

GLENDALE — It was a close and exciting battle befitting two girls’ volleyball teams that are ranked among the top five in their CIF Southern Section divisions.

While Providence High won the first two game of Tuesday’s Liberty League contest, Glendale Adventist Academy fought back to dominate the third and fourth games and force a decisive fifth set.

One point away from losing the contest in the fifth, the Pioneers lifted themselves up, took control and finished off the host Cougars in a 25-17, 25-19, 15-25, 13-25, 16-14 victory.

It was the first league loss for Glendale Adventist (10-2, 2-1 in league), which is ranked No. 4 in Division IX. Providence (12-4-1, 2-0) is the No. 5 team in Division VIII.

“We knew that Glendale was a good team and, even when we were up 2-0, I told our players that they came back against Pacifica Christian after being down 2-0,” Providence coach James Jimenez said. “We knew that they were going to fight back and that it wasn’t going to be easy for us.

“I think we just woke up in time to be able to get the win.”

With the fifth game tied five times through the first 10 points, Providence broke a 5-5 deadlock with a 4-0 run. Glendale Adventist took the lead, 13-12, on a kill by Elyce Knipschild, who led all players with 28 kills.

Another kill by Knipschild put the Cougars one point away from victory, 14-12. But the Pioneers didn’t go away and, when a serve by Giselle Camonayan fell on the Glendale Adventist side, Providence was one point away from the win. The Pioneers were able to complete the comeback on a block by Sarah Cox.

“In that fifth game, we just wanted to do what we did in the first two games and not get too excited,” said Providence’s Talia Patterson, who led her team with 22 kills, 22 digs and five aces. “I just tried not to look at the score.”

Cox contributed nine digs and eight blocks and Justine Nuñez had 34 assists and nine digs for the Pioneers.

“After a slow start we really realized that we have to get our game together and that’s how we played better in those third and fourth games,” said Cougars coach Jared Luquet, who received 20 kills from Paige Singleton. “But we just couldn’t close things out there at the end.”