Skyy Alston records three straight kills & Caiden Shrode records the game-winning kill to complete the sweep of the Apaches 

In a contest that featured two teams that were frontrunners to win the Pacific League championship, the John Burroughs Bears came away with a statement victory over the Arcadia Apaches in a 3-0  sweep (25-15, 25-15, 25-16). Skyy Alston and Caiden Shrode both played a role in the third set to help the Bears complete the three-game sweep as Alston recorded three straight kills and Shrode recorded the game-winning kill. 

Both teams had sweeping victories heading into the marquee showdown. Burroughs came away with a 3-0 win over Pasadena back on Tuesday and Arcadia came off a 3-0 sweep of the Glendale Nitros in the first of a back-to-back. 

Alston and Riley Brinton got the Bears started on the right foot to begin set one with back to back points. Alston got the game’s first kill, and Brinton got the game’s first ace. Burroughs continued to have control of the game throughout the opening frame and went on a 6-2 run to end the opening set. Ryder Tafoya had three kills in the back half of the set, and Noah Duffield had an ace in that particular scoring run, with Alston recording the match point kill to give the Bears a 25-15 win over Arcadia in the opening set. 

The Bears began set two down 4-1 until Benji Ly, Duffield, Ryder Tafoya, and Caiden Shrode helped get Burroughs back in front with their strong offensive play, going on an 8-0 run. scoring run. Ly also recorded the kill to end the second set, along with Nathan Kamaya recording two straight serve aces to help the Bears take a commanding 2-0 series lead heading into set three. 

Burroughs again faced an uphill climb at the start of set three. At one point, they were down 5-2 and found a way to get the lead with two game-changing points from Ly and Duffield to help the Bears go up 17-14 over Arcadia. Alston and Shrode helped the Bears execute offensively to help complete the sweep of the Apaches. 

“We played a complete match. Arcadia is a well-coached team, and a credit to the Apaches for staying in second place in the league, and has earned a bunch of those wins,” said Joel Brinton. Brinton also added that the boys did a great job sticking to their game plan and taking Arcadia out of their system. 

Burroughs improves to 17-5 overall and 6-0 in Pacific League play, and Arcadia drops to 24-4 overall and 5-2 in Pacific League play. Burroughs will take on St Monica in a second of a back-to-back at the Chatsworth Tournament. Arcadia will look to bounce back from their rough 3-0 loss to Burroughs and return to action in two weeks on Tuesday, April 15th, with a home game against Burbank.