Sierra Canyon girls volleyball tops Alemany in rivalry match played at full blast

06.10.2023 09:17

DailyNews.com

CHATSWORTH — There was an abrupt change of music as soon as the Alemany girls volleyball team took the court for pregame warmups on Thursday evening. Sierra Canyon blasted a “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” lullaby over the speakers of its home court.

An Alemany assistant coach wheeled out a portable speaker playing rap music and pushed it around the Warriors’ side of the court, which was seemingly unbothered.

Sierra Canyon is ranked No. 4 in this week’s CIF-SS Division 1/2 poll and Alemany is No. 6. Thursday evening brought the two together for a Mission League rematch, with Sierra Canyon putting its unbeaten league record on the line.

Heightened competition drove both teams to high-level performances, but the Trailblazers came out on top, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-16.

Sierra Canyon’s Danica Rach, #4, celebrates a point during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Alanah Clemente, #23, goes up for the block against Sierra Canyon’s Taylor Treahy, #29, during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Victoria Filippova, #7, puts a shot over Sierra Canyon’s Madeline Way, #19, during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Sade Ilawole, #1, sets the ball as Lola Brown, #7, looks on during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon celebrates their win over Alemany at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Havyn Rolle, #13, goes up for a shot during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Sophie Jones, #16, and Havyn Rolle, #13, miss a shot against Sierra Canyon during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Kyla Firestone, #12, and Victoria Filippova, #7, go for the block as Sierra Canyon’s Halie McGinest, #6, makes the spike during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Danica Rach, #4, digs for a shot against Alemany during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Kyla Firestone, #12, hits over the net against Sierra Canyon during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Kyla Firestone, #12, and Victoria Filippova, #7, miss a spiked shot against Sierra Canyon during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Sade Ilawole, #1, hits a shot as Alemany’s Havyn Rolle, #13, goes up for the block during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Members of Sierra Canyon react to a point against Alemany at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Lexie Firestone, #11, spikes a shot against Sierra Canyon during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Alemany’s Alanah Clemente, #23, spikes a shot as Sierra Canyon’s Madeline Way, #19, goes up for the block during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Danica Rach, #4, makes a save against Alemany at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sierra Canyon’s Eliyah Larry, #12, slams a shot past Alemany’s Alanah Clemente, #23, and Havyn Rolle, #13, during game action at Sierra Canyon High Thursday, October 5, 2023. Sierra Canyon defeated Alemany in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-16. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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“It’s all fair in love and sports,” Sierra Canyon coach Stefanie Wigfall said. “It’s just a matter of staying mentally tough playing through all that. You’ve got to be able to use any energy or any fuel and motivation and turn it inward into your team and play to win.”

Alemany (22-6 overall, 6-2 Mission League) went on a four-point run toward the end of the first set, but a kill by Danica Rach (14 kills, 22 digs) put the set away and got Sierra Canyon some early momentum.

But the Warriors came back in the second set and went point-for-point with the Trailblazers (31-5, 8-0). Alanah Clemente put Alemany, which won CIF-SS titles in 2022 and 2021, in a set-point situation with a kill and the Warriors won the set on an error.

Sierra Canyon, the reigning CIF-SS Division 1 champions, made some early blocks to jump to a 4-1 lead in the third set and gained a significant lead when an Alemany hit went into the net to make it 18-13. The Warriors put together a five-point run and forced the Trailblazers to three set-point situations.

“We’re very good passers, and we’re good servers,” Alemany coach Morgan Wijay said. “And I thought we did a good job keeping that pressure on their team to really be all over the place with their passing.”

A few Alemany players were stifled by lingering injuries in the fourth set, but Clemente still managed to score points at critical moments. She’s a left-handed hitter playing on the left side — a major benefit for the Warriors — and finished with a game-high 19 kills.

One of Sierra Canyon’s assistant coaches is a lefty, and the Trailblazers were able to use him to simulate different looks that Clemente might give them.

“We prepared as much as we could against him because it’s such a different swing and a different look,” Wigfall said. “That helps us a little bit, but she’s just so dynamic and strong and athletic.”

An interesting music scene at Sierra Canyon tonight.

The Trailblazers are blasting "twinkle twinkle little star" to throw off Alemany's warmups while an Alemany coach is wheeling around a speaker playing rap music. pic.twitter.com/CJ4HRbSXJ1

— Haley Sawyer (@haleymsawyer) October 6, 2023

Sierra Canyon’s Halie McGinest finished the match with nine kills and an ace and Maddie Way had nine kills, two blocks and an assist. Sade Ilawole dished out 50 assists in addition to two blocks and five digs.

Gabi Polishuk recorded 14 kills and 14 digs for Alemany and Havyn Rolle had 10 kills. Kyla Firestone had 46 assists and Makaila Atkins had 22 digs.

Players from both teams are familiar with each other through volleyball and life. The schools are even on the same street. Social media offers yet another avenue to fuel rivalries as two of the premier high school volleyball programs in the area come ready for battle each time they come face-to-face.

“There’s some tension there,” said Sierra Canyon libero Lauren Lynch, who had 17 digs. “It’s just about blowing that over and just playing volleyball instead of just thinking about relationships on the court.”

Sierra Canyon wins the fourth set 25-16 to beat Alemany and preserve its unbeaten Mission League record. pic.twitter.com/zNiRqw1sJN

— Haley Sawyer (@haleymsawyer) October 6, 2023

Alemany and Sierra Canyon could play each other again in the postseason. CIF-SS playoff brackets are scheduled to be released on Oct. 14 and will sort the Division 1/2 teams into two groups.

“I would love to play them again,” Wijay said. “We’ll play anyone and we’ll have fun.”