GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL NOTEBOOK: TAFT REBOUNDS IN A BIG WAY IN TOURNEY.

Byline: ERIK BOAL

Special to the Daily News

The Taft of Woodland Hills girls' volleyball team went from disappointing to dominant and from embarrassing to exceptional in less than 24 hours.

After being swept in three matches Monday to conclude the third annual Burbank Summer League, the defending City Section champion rebounded Tuesday to win the 12-team Gladstone Tournament without dropping a game, capped by a 25-22, 26-24 victory in the final over Rowland of Rowland Heights.

"We made the decision never to play like that again," said senior outside hitter Fallon Shah, who recorded eight kills and three aces against Rowland. "We came (to Gladstone) with the mentality that we were going all the way."

Taft had an opportunity Monday to win the Burbank title with victories over Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and Burroughs of Burbank. Instead, the Toreadors dropped all six games, including a loss to Gabrielino of San Gabriel, to finish in a three-way tie for third with Village Christian of Sun Valley and Holy Family of Glendale.

"It wasn't disappointing, it was more embarrassing," said Samantha Potter, who was selected MVP of the Gladstone tournament following a 12-kill, 15-dig, three-ace performance in the championship match. "Our playing style is a roller-coaster. (Monday) we were down, but (Tuesday) we went to the top and we stayed consistent."

Taft was looking forward to a potential third showdown this summer with Grant of Van Nuys, which is expected to challenge the Toreadors for City supremacy in the fall. But the Lancers -- minus outside hitter Brooke Mataele (in Hawaii) -- fell in the opening round in three games to Montclair.

Taft, which received a first-round bye after securing the fourth seed, handled Montclair 25-8, 25-5 in less than 30 minutes, before knocking off top-seed Rio Hondo Prep of Arcadia 25-12, 25-18 to reach the final.

Potter had 13 kills and 11 digs, Shah recorded eight kills and four aces and Melissa Wirrick had 20 assists against Rio Hondo Prep, which fought off a match point to outlast Western Christian of Covina 25-14, 18-25, 16-14 in the quarterfinals.

"I thought we did a better job of controlling the ball on our side (Tuesday)," Taft coach Arman Mercado said. "(Monday) we struggled with our passing, but we did a much better job (Tuesday). The thing I like about this team is they're not trying to be something they aren't."

Never too early to start: To say Taft is focusing every practice and each match on repeating as City champion would be an understatement, even during the summer. With the Toreadors trailing Rowland 16-13 in the second game of Tuesday's final, Potter shouted to her teammates, "This is for City."

Potter proceeded to record kills on her next three swings to pull Taft even at 17-17, then gave the Toreadors a 25-24 lead with her 15th kill of the match, before Nieshe Washington delivered an ace on championship point.

"We're going to have to work really hard. Everything has to be like that if we want to win City again," Potter said. "Fallon and I have to get them really prepared, so we might as well start now."

Although Taft's offensive attack isn't as potent as last season, the Toreadors' service game has been impressive throughout the summer. Shah recorded 10 aces in three matches Tuesday, including one that gave Taft a 24-23 lead in the second game against Rowland.

"I love the pressure," said Shah, who will lead the Toreadors on Saturday in the summer-ending Gabrielino tournament. "I'll serve any day on game point. We have to have that aggressive mentality and it's Sam's and my job to enforce it on the other girls."

Playoff atmosphere: After both teams eliminated Taft from title contention Monday at Burbank High, Notre Dame and Burroughs squared off in one of the summer's most competitive matches, with the Knights rallying for a 19-25, 25-20, 16-14 victory to capture the title.

Taylor Horton led the way for Notre Dame, which finished 11-1.

Karissa Lagmay, a returning All-Southern Section honoree, helped Burroughs conclude the six-week schedule with a 10-2 mark.

[e-mail]

[phone]