Bell-Jeff Win Dampened by Postgame News

The playoff hopes of the Bell-Jeff High girls’ volleyball team revolved around two factors Wednesday against Notre Dame.

The first was a stroll that middle blocker Nikki Gros took after twisting an ankle midway through the second game. Gros hobbled back and recorded 10 kills and 10 blocks to lead the Guards to a 15-9, 15-17, 12-15, 15-10, 15-7 San Fernando Valley League victory at Bell-Jeff.

But the second bit of fortune Gros and her teammates needed failed to materialize. Bell-Jeff anxiously awaited news of the score of a match between Alemany and Chaminade to determine its playoff hopes--and the news was not good. Chaminade won, giving it sole possession of third place and making the Guards’ win anticlimactic.

Although Bell-Jeff (5-5 in league play) will miss the playoffs barring a wild-card selection, the Guards can at least take satisfaction in coming back against Notre Dame after falling behind, two games to one.

“We were disenchanted after our last loss to Chaminade,” Bell-Jeff Coach Hal Krug said. “And we came back with a purpose tonight.”

The Guards scored the last five points of the fourth game, two on Gros kills, to break a 10-10 tie, then continued their surge in the final game. Celina Fueconcillo had five service aces in the fifth game to help put Notre Dame away.

Notre Dame, the league’s second-place team, was led by Ellen Strong with 15 kills.