Hart High girls volleyball garnered a winning record in the Foothill League, defeating the Golden Valley Grizzlies, 3-1, Thursday night at Golden Valley High School. The Indians are now 3-2 in league play and 10-5 overall.
The game scores were: 25-17, 25-23, 23-25, and 25-15.
Hart cruised to a victory in the first game. They led game two early before Golden Valley rallied to tie the score 20-20. Three ties and two lead changes ensued before Hart won 25-23.
Golden Valley avoided the sweep, controlling much of the third game en route to a 24-21 lead. Hart fought to make the score 24-23, but the Grizzlies’ Sydney Overton delivered an emphatic kill to give Golden Valley the win.
“We’re learning how to compete, we’re getting better, and we’re fighting,” said Golden Valley coach Erick Beck. “I’m really proud of how our younger kids worked. For them to be that competitive, it says we’re going in the right direction.”
The Grizzlies hung with the Indians in the opening of game four to the tune of a 5-5 tie. Hart, however, closed the game with a 20-10 run, winning the final frame 25-15 and the match 3-1.
“At the end of the first round of league, I would expect us to play a little more elevated,” said Hart head coach Mary Irilian. “We’re fortunate to win, but we’re not moving as quickly in the right direction for us to be competitive heading into the second round.”
Natasha Stuart led Hart with 11 kills, and Shelby Grubbs tallied eight blocks. Madi Fay, who had eight kills and was Hart’s leader in assists with 17, echoed Irilian’s statements on the state of the team.
“It was a frustrating game for us,” Fay said. “We definitely didn’t play the way I see us playing in practice.”
Hart begins round two of Foothill League play at home when they host the Valencia Vikings on Oct. 6.
Golden Valley, led by freshman Jordan Nunez’s 12 kills, falls to 0-5 in league and 3-9-2 overall. They face the West Ranch Wildcats at West Ranch Oct. 6 in search of their first league win.
