Varsity Boys’ Volleyball Spikes Way to Victory Against Spartans
During an Alhambra varsity boys’ volleyball tournament on Friday, March 20, senior Ethan Spencer spikes the ball.
The Moors finished the tourney with a 5-1 record.
MOOR Photo by SHANNON KHA
SIMEON LAM
Sports Editor
Leading up to the week of the Almont League season, the Alhambra Moors co-hosted a tournament with the San Gabriel Matadors on March 20-21. The team placed fifth out of the 32 teams following wins against Whittier Christian, Cantwell Sacred Heart, Rio Hondo Prep, Temple City and Paramount before falling to Canyon. Following the tournament, the Moors earned a 3-0 home victory over the San Marino Titans on March 24. This lead into the team’s first league match against the Schurr Spartans.
The Moors had a high level of confidence following their recent successes and it was evident in their first set against the Spartans. The Moors jumped out to an early lead through good defense, which led to great sets for both their middle and outside hitters to spike. The first set ended rather quickly with Alhambra taking the set with a score of 25-14.
As the second set began, the Spartans made adjustments to play better defense and place more aggressive spikes, which kept the score closer. However, right when the Spartans began to gain some momentum, the Moors stopped the run quickly and ended the set on a run. After a close set, Alhambra prevailed with a 25-18 in the second set.
The third set was very similar to the first set. The Spartans could not handle the Moors’ array of attacks from the outside, middle, and backside. They also struggled to keep the ball alive through passes because of the pressure in each side of net. Through all this, the Moors dominated the set with a 25-14 victory, winning the match in three sets.
“After being the underdog for the past [few] years, I think its time for [our team] to shine and achieve a higher rank within our league,” hitter Ethan Spencer said.
Following the win against the Spartans, the Moors’ chances fell after losing their next two league matches against the San Gabriel Matadors with a score of 0-3 and the Mark Keppel Aztecs with a score of 1-3. After a one week break, the Moors continue their season with an away game against the Bell Gardens Lancers on Tuesday, April 14.