The Little Assassin

By Michael Ashcraft --

Usually, she's breaking bones or boards.

As the centerpiece to the Lighthouse Christian Academy's back row, she's digging balls with dives to keep kills from being kills. She's the libero, and its her job to sacrifice her body to keep the team alive.

On Thursday, because an administrative snafu ruled out the Saint's setter from play, Riley Gonzalez assumed the lynchpin position in the front row against Panorama City High School. The diminutive sophomore became the commander -- and it's a role she filled coolly.

"When people were missing hits, it was confusing. I would look back at the bench and having Shayla (Papik, the normal setter) there, I was like, 'What do I do? What do I do?'" Riley said. "She would tell me something, and I would do it, and we would get the point. From going from the back row to the front row, I was 100% nervous."

She didn't look even 1% nervous.

Riley is the rising player to watch. Her sister the Lighthouse's killer who jackhammered the ball from the outside position, perforating the best defenses. Dahlia Gonzalez graduated and is now playing college ball. When her older sister made a kill last year, Riley celebrated by falling to the wood as if dead. It was a silly and funny routine.

Now it's little sister's turn.

Unfortunately, LCA returned to Santa Monica with an L in their second non-league game. They won the second and third matches, only to lose the fourth and fifth. Scores were 14-25, 25-18, 25-21, 22-25, 10-15.

They lost their nerve.

"I think we should've won. They are emotional, they need to get control of that," said Coach Jessica Young. "In a way, I'm glad they failed because it makes them stronger. You don't know what you need to work on until you mess up. Trials are character building."

In game 1, the Saints lost 5 points by being in wrong position over and over again. Coach Jessica said that was her fault; she wrote the wrong positions.

Without their starting setter, LCA needed to grow. "We should have won," Coach Jessica surmised.

There were moments of glory and evident moments of needed growth.

Last year's senior setter, Allie Scribner, was such an amazing player and leader, inspiring her teammates and injecting competitiveness. Through her veins course ice; she never got nervous. The team swept the league.

This year, junior Shayla is a great leader, as is sophomore outside hitter Jillian Jenkins. Riley is learning leadership also. Who will be the leader this year?

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