Lathrop dominated visiting Grace Davis 25-17, 25-12 in the first two sets of the teams’ Western Athletic Conference girls volleyball match Wednesday night, only to find itself trailing 11-17 in the third game before riding the hot hand of Erin Chunn to a thrilling 26-24 win in the third set for the sweep.
Chunn nailed three of Lathrop’s final five points on kills before Ayden Petroff sealed the win with an ace.
“We had to make some adjustments in that last set,” Lathrop coach Toa Fa’ali’i said. “We had low energy, and I needed some good energy. We got the momentum back and were able to finish.
“We rely a lot on Erin (Chunn). She has a lot of experience and she is a reliable player. Every time we need a point, we look to her and she gets it done.”
Chunn finished with 13 kills, two digs and an ace, ending the first and second sets for
“We did great,” Chunn said. “We were very scrappy, and we were able to push back at the end of the match. They were ahead by a lot, and I am just happy we were able to lock in.”
Petroff dished out 20 assists along with four aces, two kills and a dig.
“For the last two years I have been at Lathrop, setting for these girls has been the greatest privilege I have ever had,” Petroff said. “They never disappoint me and we always talk.”
Libero Justine Mabutas patrolled the back row with a vengeance, scrambling for 15 digs and serving a pair of aces.
“I try to focus on the setter,” Mabutas said. “And then their hitters.”
Lathrop’s Jadore Dixon added five digs with Siliana Faataualofa chipping in four digs and two aces.
Lathrop sailed through the first two sets with ease, never trailing by more than a point until the third set when Grace Davis (1-1, 3-6) got the upper hand.
Lathrop hosts Linden on Thursday in a non-league tilt at 6:30 p.m.
Junior varsity
Lathrop 2, Grace Davis 0
Cassidy Fa’ali’i paced Lathrop with four aces and eight assists.
Alexza Bringas (six assists) and Audrina Fisher (five kills) added three aces apiece and Andrea Lemus four kills.
Freshmen
Lathrop 2, Grace Davis 0
Lathrop’s Juliet Tara dished out six aced and five assists in a 25-9, 25-11 win.
Zakia Booker added eight aces, Elia Dasalla three aces and Lanayah Denson three kills.
