Cardinals avenge ESL loss

Lindsay’s volleyball team took a page out of the Cardinals’ upset over Strathmore in Friday’s football game and added another chapter to the saga of the Lindsay-Strathmore rivalry by defeating the Spartans, 3-1, Wednesday night in Strathmore.

Before a raucous crowd of some 300 fans of mixed loyalties, the Cardinals fell to the Spartans in a down-to-the-wire first game, 26-24, before rallying to win the next three 25-20, 25-19 and 25-18.

“(Lindsay’s) whole team played well tonight,” Strathmore coach Julie Chapman said. “They didn’t have hitters or passers making mistakes. That was the best I’ve seen them play.”

The last time the two rivals played on Oct. 13, Strathmore took home the bragging rights by defeating Lindsay on the road in four games.

“They had made a comment that our whole team was on Stevie (Ibarra), but tonight we showed we had the core,” Lindsay coach Vilay Thao said. “Every player stepped it up. I’m sure they were surprised to see a couple of our offense girls and very surprised with our defense.”

Though Ibarra still led the team with 21 kills, Regina Alvarado came through with several timely kills when Lindsay needed a point to hold off the surging Spartans. Alvarado had finished with 10 of them and Nicole Bolanos had 27 assists.

“Nicole has been very consistent as our setter,” Thao said. “Cassie (Manning) also had a wonderful game. Last time, Cassie was playing all around, but she’s best as our libero.”

Manning anchored Lindsay’s back row with 25 digs and Gina Sholander added another nine.

Many in the crowd focused on the matchup between both players wearing No. 1 — Lindsay’s Ibarra and Strathmore’s Nayeli Colunga.

Oftentimes the two tallest players on the court, Colunga and Ibarra faced off at the net throughout the night, playing a constant guessing game of when to go for the kill or when to hold back and softly tap it over each other’s outstretched arms.

“When (Ibarra) goes up for the block, her arms are so long,” Colunga said. “So I have to look for what she’s doing and find a spot and that’s where I have to go.”

Colunga, a freshman, finished with 13 kills and held her own for the most part against the senior Ibarra.

“It’s hard for a freshman to have to come on and be relied upon as a leader, but that’s where she is,” Chapman said. “She played well tonight.”

Strathmore also got contributions from Amelia Medrano, who had a solid, all-around game of 12 kills, four blocks and 12 digs. Hailey Tsuboi finished with a game high 36 assists and Denise Cabral added four kills.

Lindsay’s Irene Gutierrez’s serving spearheaded a 6-0 run to start the third game and the Cardinals (5-2 league) used the momentum to build a 10-point lead to coast for the win.

But Strathmore (8-6, 2-4 league) kept the rest of the game close, trailing just two or three points throughout the night.

Both teams have clinched playoff spots in their respective divisions.