La Canada girls’ volleyball nearly back at full strength
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE — For the first time this season, the La Cañada High girls’ volleyball team had both its standout outside hitters — Micaela Anderson and Kendall Walbrecht — in the lineup for a Rio Hondo League match with Monrovia at home Tuesday.
Anderson returned to the lineup after she’d missed the previous four matches with an injury and helped La Cañada sweep the Wildcats, 25-19, 25-19, 25-10. The senior finished with eight kills, while Walbrecht added a team-high 14.
“It feels really good [to be back],” said Anderson, who’s committed to play for Rutgers University next year. “It was hard to sit out and not play. I felt a little rusty, but I thought everybody played amazing. We all came together and had great chemistry. … In the beginning of the game I thought we were out of the loop, but toward the end we all stepped it up and started passing and serving better.”
The Spartans are still without starting senior middle blocker and co-captain Katie Pierce, who was named the league MVP in 2010, because of an injury. Pierce is expected to return at the end of October.
La Cañada Coach Brock Turner said the Spartans (5-7, 2-0 in league) came out a little lethargic but finished strong against the Wildcats (1-1 in league).
“I don’t know why, but we lacked energy today,” Turner said. “It was nice to get back, that’s what I’m proud of. We got in a good game.”
Leigh Sclafani tallied 28 assists in what Turner said was one of his team’s best passing performances. Senior libero Madison Teodo also had a team-high 16 digs and four aces. Anderson and the UC Davis-bound Walbrecht, who also had seven digs, both posted three aces in the win.
“We’ve played all summer so the passing worked well,” Turner said. “We could always improve on that, but they’re comfortable with each other.”
The victory extends La Cañada’s league winning streak to 60 matches after it pulled out a dramatic five-game victory on the road at South Pasadena last Thursday, 25-22, 21-25, 25-14, 19-25, 16-14.
The Spartans, who are currently just outside the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA top-10 rankings, will next host Blair Thursday at 3:30 p.m. before heading up the hill to take on cross-town rival Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Saturday at 6 p.m.