Cardinals win thriller over Tigers

Lindsay High School’s volleyball team produced two of Thursday’s most exciting games at the Strathmore Tournament held at Strathmore High School.

The Cardinals (2-2) swept the Wasco High Tigers 26-24, 26-24 in a two-game match and earned themselves two points toward the Tourney’s playoff seedings.

Both games were much more identical than the scores suggest, as each team fought for the lead throughout the match.

“We knew them from playing them last year,” Lindsay coach Vilay Thao said. “It was like this one — point for point, back-to-back-to-back. Considering they’re a higher division, we definitely played well.”

In the second game, Wasco began to pull away from a tight game with a five-point lead, but Cassie Manning spiked the ball to the right side to end the Tigers’ streak and start their own.

Both teams made acrobatic plays and diving digs to keep their possessions alive, including one by Stevie Ibarra with the score tied at 22 that brought the crowd to its feet.

The Tigers got a tip point from their front line to make it 24-23 in their favor, but lost the lead and the game after a serving error on the next possession.

Ibarra led the Cardinals with 12 kills and 16 digs while Nicole Bolanos assisted on 11 kills. Manning had 18 service receptions for the Cardinals.

Lindsay now has four wins and four losses in the tourney after losing two to Caruthers High, and splitting one each with Kings Christian High and Granite Hills High.

“We keep starting slow,” Thao said. “Against other teams, we didn’t come through until the second games and we keep choking.”

In other games, Granite Hills (2-2) split a pair with Caruthers. The Grizzlies took the first game 25-19 after a scoring drought allowed the Blue Raiders to nearly come back from a 24-14 lead. Granite finally hit a long shot that sailed just inside the back line to get its 25th point.

But the Blue Raiders returned the favor with a 25-14 win the next game.

Emily Fechner leads the Grizzlies with 12 kills in the tourney and Jennifer Landers is second with 10 kills and six aces.

Nicole Rafanan has chipped in with another seven kills and five aces.

The Strathmore Spartans (2-0) also swept Laton High on Thursday, 25-22 and 25-14.

“I think our team is playing very well at this point,” Spartans coach Julie Chapman said. “Our defense is looking good, but we just need to work out a few inconsistencies within the offense.”

Tournament play resumes Saturday morning, where Lindsay is scheduled for a showdown with Orosi High. Strathmore and Granite Hills opponents were yet to be announced depending on the results of other games.