Ethiopian Queen

By Yvette Harding –

Lighthouse players took off their blue belts and put on their black belts. It was as if they said, Just kidding. This is who we really are.

All season, the girls volleyball team has cruised to easy victory after easy victory.

But on Wednesday, Glendale Adventist Academy put the Saints on notice that they intended to do more than just put up a respectable front. They came to win.

In Game 1, the Cougars -- who lost in the first meetup this season with Lighthouse Christian Academy of Santa Monica -- were up 7-12. They were pumped and could smell their prey.

Then Coach Jessica Young called a time-out, and transformation occurred. It was as if the girls had shown up all season with a hidden identity and were revealing their true selves.

Like the publicity stunt Christiano Ronaldo did when he dressed up as a homeless man and went out to the plaza to put on display some world class soccer skills. At first he was drawing unbelieving stares. Behind the shocked face, people wondered, What the heck? Eventually Ronaldo pulled off the shaggy wig and shabby clothes. From underneath the disguise emerged he who is arguably the world’s greatest soccer player.

Pranked ya! You thought you had a chance against the undefeated Saints. Thanks for giving us some competition. Now we'll show you who we really are.

“Last year, we lost to this team and they hurt my ankle,” said Dahlia Gonzalez, LCA’s top striker. “I was really wanting to make sure I stood out to them and let them know who I am.”

Dahlia was deadly. In hit after hit, she humbled and frustrated the Cougars. After leading in Game 1, the Cougars fell to the Saints 25-19, 25-22, 25-12.

Lighthouse was a team never seen before – their movements on the court, a carefully choreographed waltz; their eclectic arsenal of attack, a dazzling display of fireworks; their sizzling serves, a tsunami washing over the Cougars.

It was the kind of competition that Dahlia, and her fellow senior Allie Scribner, relish. The more intense the competition, the more the deadly duo relaxes.

In the the back-and-forth of Game 1, the Cougars could be seen frowning out of frustration. Allie just smiled. Serious-faced Dahlia executed methodically her cold-blooded vendetta. Did I say she was the Hulk?

Pretty much everyone was on their best game, including Liyat Belay, the Ethiopian queen, who is not often a centerpiece of action, made two blocks and a hit to keep the tide running over Glendale Adventist.

“Liyat is always hungry for the ball and always wants to play all the time,” Coach Jessica said. “She’s always open to criticism and always has a good attitude. She’s always the servant, goes to the back of the car. She’s always cheering others on.

“She’s the perfect person.”

Liyat admits that it can be intimidating trying to play at the level of the top LCA players.

“These girls are so uplifting,” Liyat said. “They don’t make us feel inferior. They’re all loving and kind and humble.”

Not all the girls thrive on the stress of intense competition.

“I felt stress, but I overcame that and God helped me,” Liyat admitted. “I prayed; that’s why I think I overcame that.”

Read more about LCA volleyball: the Jill Chills (Game 1). Sharp shooter Shayla (Game 2), No return policy (Game 3) , Abigail is Elsa (Game 4), God Balls (Game 5), Little girl beat up big boy (Game 6), Craziah for Keziah (Game 7) Flower power (Game 8), Xie xie Shay (Game 9), One in a Jillian (Game 10), Napoleon's Cannoneers(Game 11).

About this reporter: Yvette Harding is studying journalism at the LighthouseChristian Academy of Santa Monica.