BACK ON TRACK AND BACK AT HOME‏

SAN BERNARDINO – Upon arrival at Aquinas High School on Thursday night, I came across the varsity Lancers sitting on a circle laughing it up about something and they seemed to be playing a silly little game cheering for their fans as they arrived as if we were walking down the red carpet. I turned the corner and entered the gym and as I was paying my $4 I thought Oh yeah, this is going to be good.

The Lancers (4-3 in league) seemed to have exorcised any on or off-court ‘demons’ that had plagued them during their brief 2-match losing streak including the surprise upset by Pomona Catholic in the Lancer’s own gym and the loss at #8 Arrowhead Christian. Now, all that was to be seen was if they could once again beat Aquinas (5-2 in league) as they had on October 13 when the Falcons sported an undefeated 9-0 record. The stakes for this contest were 2^nd place in the Christian League. A Lancer victory coupled with an Ontario Christian victory against Pomona Catholic would result in Aquinas, Western and OC being deadlocked in a 3-way tie for 2^nd place with 2 matches to be played by each team. 1^st place had already been decided on Wednesday night when Arrowhead defeated Loma Linda to take an 8-1 league record with only 1 match remaining. Congratulations Eagles!

The match started off ideally with a service ace by Junior Libero Brittany Lamon-Parades. After a Falcon ball handling error gave the Lancers a 2^nd point, the Lancers made it 3-0 when a Falcon overpass sailed toward the top of the net allowing Junior Setter/Outside Hitter Taylor Pierini to flick it down with her fingertips. Phew!! It was relaxing to get out to an early lead. The Lancers had not achieved a 3-0 lead in any of the last 7 sets against Arrowhead and Pomona Catholic.

What does a 3-0 lead get you? Not much when the other team roars back with a 13-5 run. The Falcon hitters came alive with 6 kills during the run that ended with Western calling for a time out and in a 8-13 hole on the road. Out of the time out the Lancers trailed by 6 at 9-15 and again at 14-20. But then Falcon errors and clutch kills by Junior Setter/Opposite Hitter Alexa Cordero and Senior Setter/Opposite Hitter Chelsea Cramer brought Western to within 1 at 19-20. Junior Middle Blocker Jasmine Lara also entered the game during the set to make a contribution to the come back.

Aquinas took a time out and out of it the Lancers immediately tied it when a Falcon overpass allowed Cramer to score on an easy kill. 20-20. The Falcons scored on a kill next but then gave up 2 points on errors. Western 22, Aquinas 21. A successful attack by Sophomore Outside Hitter Lyndsey Carruthers gave Western the 23-21 lead. But the Falcons surged back with 3 points on a kill, a net violation and an attack error. At set point Falcons, a kill by Senior Opposite Hitter Kelsey Doolittle knotted the score at 24-24. After a Falcon error gave Western the set point opportunity, Lyndsey Carruthers pushed the ball over the net deep in the Falcons back court where it fell giving the Lancers the 1^st set.

The 2^nd set started off in a strange way. The Falcons recorded a kill on a dump over the net to the Lancers center court – or so they thought. Pierini dove towards the ball. After it bounced on the floor the Lancers continued to play and sent the ball over the net while the Falcons milled around in celebration. However, the referee had never blown the whistle. One of the Falcon players weakly put an arm on the ball which careened sideways out of bounds. Point Lancers! What??? The referee held his hand out palm down and patted the back of it. Taylor’s dive had not been in vain. The ball did not bounce off the floor. It never hit it. It bounced of the back of her hand!

Despite the entertaining start the Lancers soon found themselves in another hole as the Falcons scored 5 straight points. But, aided by a couple of Cramer kills and a Pierini ace Western tied the score at 7-7. From then on, the score of the 2^nd set was never more that a 2 point differential. There were 12 ties in the set and 6 lead changes. After a 20-20 tie the Lancers never trailed again. A kill by Senior Middle Blocker Jessica Arguelles gave the Lancers set point at 24-23 and then a Falcon attack that went into the net gave the Lancers the 2^nd set.

The Lancers again found themselves in come back mode in the 3^rd set which started out 0-4. They caught the Falcons at 6-6 and would never trail again. The lead was maintained in no small part to the play of the back row which had to deal all night with the advanced jump serves dished out by the Falcon athletes. Senior Defensive Specialist Vicky Rorex kept numerous difficult balls in play and had one back row attack that led to a subsequent error by the Falcons. Although, she did not get into this match, Senior Defensive Specialist Stephanie Yeung, has always inspired confidence when present in the back court.

The Falcons caught up to the Lancers at 17-17 and again at 21-21. With a 24-22 Lancer lead a strange development occurred. A Falcon attack sailed long and would have given the Lancers the match. But the ball had noticeably changed trajectory after entering the Lancers side of the net. However, the line judge, a Lancer JV player, did not notice that it had been touched and called the ball out. The referee called for a conference and after which was about to call the match until the other referee appealed and the point was given to the Falcons. “That’s not the way we wanted to win”, Coach B said later, admitting the she and Lancer players had provided the information for the correct call to be made.

On the next serve a Lancer attack error tied it at 24-24. After a Western time out an Aquinas passing error gave Lancers a match point at 25-24. Taylor Pierini served and the ball could not be handled by the Falcon defender ending the match.

	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Final
Western Christian	26	25	26			3
Aquinas	24	23	24			0

As 3-0 volleyball matches go this one was close – as close as it can get. You can win a football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer or golf contest by 1 point. But, not so, with a volleyball match that ends in a 3-0 sweep. At least 6 points must be the difference – no less – and that is all that Western had.

But it was enough. And considering the Lancers had to come back from at least a 4-point deficit in all 3 matches it was clear this team had come to play. They had travelled to the most remote outpost of the Christian League with the baggage of a 2-match losing streak and beat a team with a better league record than their own late in the season. “I don’t know about you”, Jose Arguelles said, “but I think that was a different team out there tonight.”

And so, the Lancers celebrated and it seemed all cylinders were firing. The team came out of the “clubhouse” smiling as one unit. The Lancer family lingered, including # 1 Lancer fan Bud Bertrand, father of Mrs. B, who enjoyed the match over 700 miles from his home in southern Oregon. “This is the way it always is with Western people”, Mrs. B said, “Always the last to leave even when we are not in our own gym.” And the reward for the Lancers’ efforts in the “Far East” this week was that they get to come home and play in the comforts of Lancerland on Tuesday for their final home match.

	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
Western Christian
Points Earned	16	17	15			48
Points Given Away	11	9	10			30
Aquinas
Points Earned	13	14	14			41
Points Given Away	10	8	11			29

1st round thru league	PC		Arwhd	Aquinas	LLA	OC	Total
Western	6-Oct		8-Oct	13-Oct	15-Oct	20-Oct
Points Earned	37		45	56	41	28	207
Points Given Away	31		66	43	25	32	197
% Earned	54%		41%	57%	62%	47%	51%
% decided by Western	52%		63%	58%	55%	44%	55%
Opponent
Points Earned	26		33	30	20	30	139
Points Given Away	38		33	42	34	47	194
% Earned	41%		50%	42%	37%	39%	42%
% decided by Oppnt	48%		37%	42%	45%	56%	45%
Total Services	132		177	171	120	137	737
Point Earned = points won on attacks, aces and blocks
Points Given Away = points lost on errors and violations
2nd round thru league		PC	Arwhd	Aquinas	LLA	OC	Total
Western		22-Oct	27-Oct	29-Oct	3-Nov	5-Nov
Points Earned		56	34	48			138
Points Given Away		58	38	30			126
% Earned		49%	47%	62%			52%
% decided by Western		61%	57%	53%			57%
Opponent
Points Earned		39	37	41			117
Points Given Away		35	17	29			81
% Earned		53%	69%	59%			59%
% decided by Oppnt		39%	43%	47%			43%
Total Services		188	126	148	0	0	462
Point Earned = points won on attacks, aces and blocks
Points Given Away = points lost on errors and violations

CHRISTIAN LEAGUE RESULTS FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

· #10 Western Christian d. Aquinas, 3-0

· Ontario Christian d. Pomona Catholic, 3-0

· # 8 Arrowhead Christian d. Pomona Catholic, 3-0 (Wed, Oct 28)

Christian League				Varsity
2009 Varsity Volleyball Standings
School	W	L	Pct.	W	L	Pct.
Arrowhead Christian	8	1	0.889	16	5	0.762
Aquinas	5	3	0.625	12	3	0.800
Western Christian	5	3	0.625	11	5	0.688
Ontario Christian	5	3	0.625	9	15	0.375
Pomona Catholic	2	7	0.222	12	11	0.522
Loma Linda Academy	0	8	0.000	5	13	0.278

The JV Lancers lost their first set 13-25 against Aquinas but came back strong to capture the 2^nd 25-21. Unfortunately, they were unable to finish it in the tie breaker, losing 9-15. Ontario Christian’s JV team won so the Lancers are now in 2^nd place. The Lancer’s will clinch 2^nd place with a victory over Loma Linda, who they lost to in a very close 3 set match earlier, on Tuesday. The Lancer’s will clinch at least a tie for 1^st place with victories over Loma Linda and Ontario Christian.

Christian League				JV
2009 JV Volleyball Standings
School	W	L	Pct.	W	L	Pct.
Ontario Christian	7	1	0.875	9	5	0.643
Western Christian	6	2	0.750	12	4	0.750
Loma Linda Academy	4	4	0.500	7	6	0.538
Aquinas	3	5	0.375	8	7	0.533
Pomona Catholic	3	6	0.333	5	7	0.417
Arrowhead Christian	2	7	0.222	6	10	0.375

Tuesday, November 3, in Upland – JV 5:00pm, Varsity 6:00pm

The Lancers had no problem handling the Loma Linda Academy Roadrunners on October 15 in the Loma Linda gym sweeping them in 3 sets. Western has won 5 of 11 matches against LLA, including the last 3. Loma Linda (0-8, 5-13) has not won a league contest yet this year with matches remaining against Western and Pomona Catholic.

October 15, 2009 at Loma Linda
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Final
Western Christian	25	25	25			3
Loma Linda Academy	15	14	16			0

Western has the potential benefit of playing a winless-in-league foe while the other 2 teams they are tied with in 2^nd place are playing each other. Assuming a Lancer win, then there will be two teams tied for 2^nd place after Tuesday night. On Thursday, Western and Ontario will hook up while Aquinas will have to end the season at Arrowhead. Notably, Aquinas is the only league team that Arrowhead lost to this year in a surprising 4-set let down by the Eagles (21-17, 25-21, 17-25, 25-14).

With 2 nights of matchups there are many possibilities and the week may end up the same way it began – with a 3-way tie. Here is how that could occur:

· Western defeats Loma Linda

· Aquinas defeats Ontario

· Ontario defeats Western

· Arrowhead defeats Aquinas

Obviously, if Western wins their final 2 matches, then OC would be eliminated from 2^nd place and a little help from Arrowhead would leave the Lancers in sole possession of 2^nd.

What a 3-way tie would mean for playoff spots is unclear. According to the 2008 girls volleyball drawsheets (playoff bracket) available on the CIF Southern Section web site, 25 of 43 teams in division 4AA were given a spot in the 2008 playoffs. 7 of those teams enjoyed a 1^st round bye.

If there is a 3-way tie for 2^nd place in the Christian League then could all 3 of them plus Arrowhead get into the playoffs? Apparently, that can happen. The rules for inclusion are available on the CIF web site but I don’t pretend to be able to interpret them for this situation. Obviously, the best thing the Lancers can do is win both remaining matches so that they can possibly be the #2 team from the league playing a #3 team from another league.

CHRISTIAN LEAGUE SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3

· Loma Linda Academy at #10 Western Christian

· Ontario Christian at Aquinas

· # 8 Arrowhead Christian and Pomona Catholic have the night off by virtue of having played an extra match last week. ACA and PC have already played 9 league matches while the other 4 Christian League teams have only played 8.

LADY LANCER PROFILE - TRIBUTE TO OUR SENIORS

Tuesday is Senior Night and the final regular season home match for the Lancers this year. Let’s get to know our seniors better as they pontificate over such important topics as their favorite candies and colors. The following are excerpts from the 2009 Fall Sports Program…

	Hobbies	Food/Candy	Color	Movie
Chelsea Cramer	Volleyball & Softball	Chocolate covered raisins	Purple	Freedom Writers
Vicky Rorex	Other sports	Italian and gum	Green	Miss Congeniality
Stephanie Yeung	TV, Basketball, Hanging out with friends, Tping!	All!	Yellow, orange and blue	Million Dollar Baby, Rent, The Proposal
Jessica Arguelles	Softball, Scrapbooking, Dancing, Reading, Swimming	Sope/Kit Kat bites	All the colors!	Zoolander
Kelsey Doolittle	Volleyball & Singing	Snickers	Red	She's the Man
	Most Enjoyable Moment
Chelsea Cramer	Playing sports with all of my closest friends and watching their games
Vicky Rorex	Being with friends
Stephanie Yeung	All of them!
Jessica Arguelles	When my friend Harmony flipped in the air and landed on her butt during PE class
Kelsey Doolittle	Rallies and prom
	Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Chelsea Cramer	Out of college with a good job.
Vicky Rorex	Becoming an architect, married, possibly one child, big house, nice car, and always with family and friends
Stephanie Yeung	In New York starting a family or working at Sea World as a trainer
Jessica Arguelles	Out of college with a good job.
Kelsey Doolittle	Pursuing a career in music.

VARSITY SCHEDULE / RESULTS

Date	Day	Opponent	Site	Time	Results	Record
8-Sep	Tuesday	Walnut	Walnut	3:15pm	L, 0-3	scrimmage
10-Sep	Thursday	University Prep	cancelled
12-Sep	Saturday	Pasadena Poly Tournament
15-Sep	Tuesday	Calvary Murrieta	Club West	6:00pm	L, 1-3	0 - 1
17-Sep	Thursday	Bell-Jeff	Club West	6:00om	W, 3-0	1 - 1
19-Sep	Saturday	Arcadia Tournament
19-Sep	Saturday	Arcadia	Arcadia		L, 0-2	1 - 2
19-Sep	Saturday	Hemet	Arcadia		W, 2-0	2 - 2
19-Sep	Saturday	South Pasadena	Arcadia		W, 2-0	3 - 2
22-Sep	Tuesday	Acad for Aca Excel	Club West		W, 3-0	4 - 2
25-Sep	Friday	Calvary Downey	Downey	5:00pm	W, 3-1	5 - 2
6-Oct	Tuesday	Pomona Catholic	Damien	6:00pm	W, 3-0	1-0, 6-2
8-Oct	Thursday	Arrowhead Christian	Upland	6:00pm	L, 1-3	1-1, 6-3
9-Oct	Friday	Webb	Webb	5:30pm	W, 3-1	1-1, 7-3
13-Oct	Tuesday	Aquinas	Upland	6:00pm	W, 3-1	2-1, 8-3
15-Oct	Thursday	Loma Linda Academy	Loma Linda	6:00pm	W, 3-1	3-1, 9-3
20-Oct	Tuesday	Ontario Christian	Upland	6:00pm	W, 3-0	4-1, 10-3
22-Oct	Thursday	Pomona Catholic	Upland	6:00pm	L, 1-3	4-2, 10-4
27-Oct	Tuesday	Arrowhead Christian	Arrowhead	6:00pm	L, 0-3	4-3, 10-5
29-Oct	Thursday	Aquinas	Aquinas	6:00pm	W, 3-0	5-3, 11-5
3-Nov	Tuesday	Loma Linda Academy	Upland	6:00pm
5-Nov	Thursday	Ontario Christian	Ontario	6:00pm

JV SCHEDULE / RESULTS

Date	Day	Opponent	Site	Time	Results	Record
8-Sep	Tuesday	Walnut	Walnut			scrimmage
10-Sep	Thursday	University Prep	cancelled
15-Sep	Tuesday	Calvary Murrieta	Club West		W, 2-0	1 - 0
17-Sep	Thursday	Bell-Jeff	Club West		W, 2-0	2 - 0
19-Sep	Saturday	Gladstone Tournament
19-Sep	Saturday	Duarte	Gladstone		W, 2-0	3 - 0
19-Sep	Saturday	Ontario	Gladstone		W, 2-0	4 - 0
19-Sep	Saturday	Maranatha	Gladstone		L, 1- 2	4 - 1
22-Sep	Tuesday	Acad for Aca Excel	Club West		W, 2-0	5 - 1
25-Sep	Friday	Calvary Downey	Downey	5:00pm	L, 0-2	5 - 2
6-Oct	Tuesday	Pomona Catholic	Damien	5:00pm	W, 2-0	1-0, 6-2
8-Oct	Thursday	Arrowhead Christian	Upland	5:00pm	W, 2-0	2-0, 7-2
9-Oct	Friday	Webb	Webb	4:30pm	W, 2-0	2-0, 8-2
13-Oct	Tuesday	Aquinas	Upland	5:00pm	W, 2-1	3-0, 9-2
15-Oct	Thursday	Loma Linda Academy	Loma Linda	5:00pm	L, 2-1	3-1, 9-3
20-Oct	Tuesday	Ontario Christian	Upland	5:00pm	W, 2-1	4-1, 10-3
22-Oct	Thursday	Pomona Catholic	Upland	5:00pm	W, 2-1	5-1, 11-3
27-Oct	Tuesday	Arrowhead Christian	Arrowhead	5:00pm	W, 2-0	6-1, 12-3
29-Oct	Thursday	Aquinas	Aquinas	5:00pm	L, 1-2	6-2, 12-4
3-Nov	Tuesday	Loma Linda Academy	Upland	5:00pm
5-Nov	Thursday	Ontario Christian	Ontario	5:00pm

Varsity Roster
No.	Name	Position	Year
2	Gaby Peraza	Defensive Specialist	Sr.
3	Taylor Pierini	Setter/Outside Hitter	Jr.
4	Chelsea Cramer	Setter/Opposite Hitter	Sr.
5	Kelsey Doolittle	Opposite Hitter	Sr.
6	Jessica Arguelles	Middle Blocker	Sr.
8	Brittany Lamon-Parades	Libero	Jr.
9	Alexa Cordero	Setter/Opposite Hitter	Jr.
10	Lyndsey Carruthers	Outside Hitter	Soph.
12	Stephanie Yeung	Defensive Specialist	Sr.
13	Jasmine Lara	Middle Blocker	Jr.
17	Vicky Rorex	Defensive Specialist	Sr.
Head Coach: Dawn Bartholomew
Assisstant Coach: Becca Lewis
Team Statistician: Paige Oldham
Junior Varsity Roster
No.	Name	Position	Year
2	Hannah Rhinehart	Middle Blocker	Soph.
3	Crystal Celaya	Setter/Opposite Hitter	Jr.
5	Christina Oka	Setter	Soph.
6	Brenna Martinez	Opposite Hitter	Fr.
8	Brooke Bernard	Outside Hitter	Fr.
10	Seuhee Han	Middle Blocker	Fr.
12	Felicity Mayer	Outside/Opposite Hitter	Soph.
15	Krystal Alviso	Defensive Specialist	Soph.
18	Leah Dorsey	Middle Blocker	Soph.
Head coach: Missy Perlman
Assistant Coach: Heidi Holmes
Team Statistician: Paige Oldham

Photos by Alex Cordero.

David Doolittle reporting.