Volleyball:

Top-seeded Gators defeat Las Vegas

Steve Silver

Green Valley volleyball coach Erin Hill instructs her team during a timeout against Las Vegas High in the Sunrise region quarterfinals. The Gators dropped the Wildcats 3-0 to advance into the semifinals.

By Steve Silver (contact)

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 | midnight

Steve Silver

Green Valley senior Sydney Brozovich smashes a serve during the Gators' 3-0 victory over Las Vegas High in the Sunrise region quarterfinals Monday night.

Steve Silver

Senior Megan Schiess prepares to return a serve during Green Valley's 3-0 Sunrise region quarterfinal victory over Las Vegas on Monday night.

Green Valley girls' volleyball coach Erin Hill could not have asked for a better birthday present Monday night as the Gators steamrolled Las Vegas High, 3-0, to move on to the Sunrise Region semifinals.

Hill's one-loss team, which earned the top seed in the Sunrise Southeast Division, dropped the Wildcats 25-11, 25-16 and 25-20.

"This is truly an awesome birthday gift," said Hill, who did not want to divulge her age as the fans at Green Valley High serenaded her with a birthday song following the victory. "Vegas is a nice team and I'm glad we got in, got our job done and now we can move on and start focusing for the semis."

The Gators had little trouble controlling the match in the first two games, but did run into some trouble in the third game.

Green Valley thought it had secured a 14-12 lead, but after some deliberation, the referees called a foul and awarded a point to the Wildcats. Las Vegas went on to take a 15-14 lead before eventually succumbing to the Gators, 25-20.

"I thought our passing was decent tonight," Hill said. "I would have liked to have seen our serving be a little bit stronger, but I thought we transitioned well and I thought we blocked well."

Sophomore setter Jena Chavez led the Gators with 30 assists and two aces, but four-year varsity starter Sydney Brozovich led the charge.

The 6-foot-3 Brozovich had 11 kills Monday.

"Our seniors have a lot of desire and I know they will chase down every ball no matter what," Hill said.

The Gators will face Coronado in the semifinals at 7:45 p.m. Thursday in the Centennial High School gymnasium.

Coronado, the No. 3 seed in the Southeast, blasted the Northeast's No. 2 seed Eldorado 25-14, 25-12, 25-18 on Monday.

Green Valley has won both prior meetings with Coronado this season, doing so in straight games each time.

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or steve.silver@lasvegassun.com.

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