VOLLEYBALL : University Upsets Roosevelt in Semifinal Match

For the second week in a row, the University High girls’ volleyball team played the role of spoiler, this time at the expense of Roosevelt.

After knocking off second-seeded Chatsworth in the quarterfinal round of the City Section 4-A playoffs Nov. 12, the Warriors upset the third-seeded Roughriders 15-5, 15-8, 7-15, 9-15, 15-11 in Wednesday’s semifinal match.

Roosevelt finished its season with a record of 17-2. University, 12-5 overall and seeded seventh at the start of the playoffs, advanced to the finals Friday night at Cal State Northridge.

After junior Liz Ballesteros opened the contest for Roosevelt with an ace, University outscored the Roughriders 15-4.

The Warriors, sparked by an 11-1 run, cruised to a 15-8 victory in the second game.

With the Roughriders down two games to none, senior Lisa Jacobs helped Roosevelt stave off elimination with a 15-7 third-game victory. Despite battling leg cramps in the final three games, the 1992 Eastern League Most Valuable Player had 20 kills, four aces and three blocks in the five games.

Roosevelt hitter Jackie Villegas (nine kills, nine blocks) had the winning spike, punctuating a 13-3 run that enabled the Roughriders to take the fourth game, 15-9.

Up 9-3 in the final game and seemingly on their way to Northridge, Roosevelt lost its momentum as quickly as it had gained it when Jacobs’ leg cramps became too severe, forcing Coach Ken Maki to pull her out of the lineup. “I didn’t want to go out,” Jacobs said. “When I did, the momentum shifted and that was it.”