First published in the Oct. 29 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
The South Pasadena High School varsity girls’ volleyball team’s season came to an end after losing its CIF-SS Division 2 first-round playoff match at Temecula Great Oak, 25-16, 25-17, 25-15 last Thursday.
In her final match, senior Abby Garner recorded a team-high six kills and 11 digs for the Tigers. Senior teammate Kennedy Taylor and junior Ava Dorny both added four kills. Sophomores Jenna Garner and Helena Foord recorded three and two kills, respectively, while sophomore Ingrid Zahn added one. Zahn also had one block and one dig.
Sophomore Kendall Taylor recorded a team-high 12 assists, while senior Samantha Molina and Foord added five and one assists, respectively.
The Tigers finished second in Rio Hondo League play with a 6-2 record (33-8 overall).
SEASON RECAP
Seniors Alyssa Sokolow, Kennedy Taylor, Evelyn Dowd, Abby Garner and Molina played their final match in a Tigers uniform as they will graduate in 2022.
This year, Abby Garner recorded 315 kills — over 100 more than her next closest teammate (sophomore Jenna Garner, 211). She also tallied 315 digs, 34 aces, 39 total blocks (16 solo, 23 assists) and 11 assists in 105 sets played.
In the same amount of sets, Kennedy Taylor recorded 186 kills with seven aces and 10 assists. Defensively, she added 65 total blocks (29 solo, 36 assists) and 79 digs.
Sokolow played 104 sets while recording 529 digs, 55 aces and 58 assists.
Molina finished with 390 assists in her first varsity season, including a career-high 27 against La Cañada on Sept. 28. She also had 105 digs, 44 aces and four kills in 90 sets.
Dowd’s varsity career ended after 78 sets, where she tallied 43 kills and 58 total blocks (32 solo, 26 assists). She also had 10 digs, including a career-high four against La Cañada on Oct. 13.
The future is bright for South Pas. Although five key players will be graduating, the Tigers’ roster includes five sophomores — Kendall Taylor, Foord, Jenna Garner, Zahn and Mia Ramos — and one junior, Ava Dorny.
In her second varsity season, Dorny tallied 72 kills, 53 aces and three assists. Defensively, she added 63 total blocks (35 solo, 28 assists) and 45 digs.
Jenna Garner had a terrific season. In addition to her aforementioned kill totals, she added 282 digs, 67 aces and 67 assists in 90 sets. Meanwhile, Zahn also had a terrific offensive season with 207 kills and 15 aces, but her true skill set was on defense, where she recorded 83 total blocks (62 solo, 21 assists) and 74 digs.
Kendall Taylor enjoyed a fine first varsity season by recording a team-high 553 assists, 146 digs, 39 aces, five kills and one solo block.
In 85 sets, Foord had 158 kills with 17 aces. She also played well defensively with 88 digs and 20 blocks (11 solo, nine assists).
Ramos, who played in 55 sets this season, had 75 digs, eight aces, three assists and one kill.
