Ryan Villaflor records the game winning ace to seal the stunning victory for the Bulldogs 

The Burbank Bulldogs and the Flintridge Prep Wolves put on a show in the season opener as the Bulldogs shock everyone and come away with a five-set victory over the Wolves (28-26, 21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 16-14). Flintridge Prep finished last season with a 17-9 overall record and a 6-2 in the Prep League with an appearance in the CIF Southern Section Semifinals which ended in a three-set defeat to Sage Hill. Burbank struggled last Spring with 4-17 overall record and a 2-7 record in the Pacific League a season ago. 

Both teams started the opening set neck and neck. Brandon Chong recorded the games first kill while the Bulldogs and Wolves both traded points with errors on both sides. The Bulldogs then went on a 6-2 scoring run as Michael Becker, Jordan Ribas, and Tyler Tran led with a parade of kills. Nick Smith got Flintridge Prep back into the contest with back-to-back kills to tie the set at seven. Both teams continued to battle it out throughout the opening set until Ryan Villaflor scored an ace to give Burbank a 28-26 win in set one. 

Set two was all Flintridge Prep as they responded with a 25-21 win to even up the series with Burbank. Dylan Choi, Kyle Yun, Nick Smith and Brian Xu all had points in the second set victory.

Burbank came back to win the third set 25-20 with Tyler Tran getting three quick kills to give the Bulldogs an early 5-2 lead. Chong recorded a clutch kill to put Burbank up 24-20 which eventually gave them a five point win heading into the fourth set. 

Flintridge Prep responded with a 25-21 win to force a do or die fifth set as Kyle Yun recorded a kill to keep them alive. In the fifth set both teams went neck and neck with points to start off the do or die set. Chong and Jun Angel both delivered in the clutch with big kills. Ryan Villaflor recorded the game ending ace to complete the upset victory over Flintridge Prep. 

Burbank starts the season 1-0 and Flintridge Prep falls to 0-1 on the season. Burbank will try to go 2-0 on the season with a road game against Alhambra with the first serve scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, February 21st and Flintridge Prep will take on La Canada on Tuesday, February 25th at 5:00 p.m.