Defending Ocean League champions, the Culver City High School girls volleyball team will take their winning show on the road this afternoon at Beverly Hills.
The Lady Centaurs are 16-3 overall and 3-0 in the Ocean League. Beverly Hills is 4-5 overall and 1-1 in the Ocean league.
The first-place Lady Centaurs are coming off an impressive victory last Thursday over league rival Santa Monica inside the Del Goodyear Gym on the Culver High campus. They beat Santa Monica three games to one but every game was a battle of titans. Santa Monica is 8-6 and 1-1 in the league.
“Santa Monica is a very good team,” Culver City coach Joe Manzo said. “They have great talent. They never let the ball hit the floor. They play hard, and they never give up.”
Speaking of talent the Lady Centaurs are loaded with very good players. Once again they were led by captains Taylor Selfride and Tina Grant but they also received help from Adili Rikondja, Jessica Stewart and Armani Moultrie .
Selfride leads the team with 157 kills followed by Moultrie with 88 and Rikondia with 52. Grant, the heart and soul of the team, is one of the best diggers and setters in the Ocean League. “Overall the defense and intensity of our team was very good,” Manzo said. “We have a big front line that helps us when we need to block shots at the net.”
“We were really excited because we were playing Santa Monica,” Grant said. “It feels good. We did a great job as a team. Who wants to lose in your own house?”
It was the first time that freshman Steward played in a rivalry game. “We showed up today,” Stewart said. “This is my first year at Culver City, and it’s fun to say we beat Santa Monica.”
Coach Manzo was also impressed with Culver City crowd. “The crowd was tremendous,” he said. “That was a great feeling to see all the support from our fans. That only helps us play better.”
Culver City’s next home game will be against Lawndale on Tuesday at 3.
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com
