Volleyball:
Don’t let their 11-11 record mislead you.
Glendora has a young roster and they’re beginning to gel at the time of year that every coach desires.
With five matches to play, the Tartans have a one-half game lead over Bonita and they’re one-game up on Ayala atop the Palomares League standings.
GHS just finished third at the Freeway Series Tournament, which is their best showing ever.
Glendora had wins over Chino, El Dorado, Santiago and Bishop Amat.
They dropped a 2-0 match to Roosevelt on Friday, and endured a 2-0 setback to Los Osos in Saturday’s final.
There are a number of key contributors for the Tartans, but a junior made history twice in the last couple of weeks.
Kaleia Zeits, a junior, surpassed 1,000 career digs and 100 aces.
She is the first athlete in program history to reach the 1,000 digs plateau.
Over the six tournament matches last week, Zeits had a serve-receive rating of 2.5, and she only had one service error in 50 receptions. Zeits tallied 12 aces and earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
Through 22 matches in 2026, Zeits leads GHS in digs (427) and aces (39), and she’s third in assists with 69.
Valentina Zurla has had a monster senior campaign.
Zurla is first in kills (196), second in aces (26) and third in digs with 159.
Samantha Oliver (121) and Alexandra Oliver (121) have combined for 232 kills, which is good for second and third among their teammates.
Brooklyn Salazar is tops among GHS with 319 assists and fourth in digs (144).
I asked GHS coach Erin Noriega three questions, 1) is the .500 overall record not indicative of the Tartans talent? 2) How important is winning the Palomares League title for the program? And 3) What has Zeits’ impact been on the program the last three seasons?
Said Erin Noriega: 1) “Being right at .500 (finally) is more proof of the process of this season. We had a really tough preseason, but I made sure to make it clear to the girls that it’s about constant improvement and peaking at the right time as a team. We are somewhat “young” with three freshmen and a sophomore who contribute, so it was more about finding a groove and focusing on the process rather than the results.
2) Obviously, winning the title would be great. I know it’s really important to the girls, but I try to preach staying in the moment and taking it point by point game by game. We can’t look too far ahead and neglect what is in front of us. If we stay present, I am confident we will get what we earn.
3) KJ has been a consistent leader since her freshmen year. On each team, she’s played on I know that her teammates trust her and she gets the job done. She is consistently pushing herself and her teammates to become better and holding them to a high standard. She has earned every ace, every dig and every accomplishment. It’s rare for a player to start on a team as a freshman and contribute as much as she has. We can’t look too wait to see what she can accomplish next.”
Lastly, I asked Zeits: 1) How did it feel to reach those two milestones? 2) How big is Tuesday’s showdown at Bonita and how focused is the program on winning a league title?
Said Kaleia Zeits: 1) “It feels amazing to reach 1,000 digs and 100 aces as a junior. It’s tough to stand out as a Libero, so it’s pretty meaningful to give my team second chances when I get digs and that they can depend on me to send over challenging serves. 2) Tuesday’s match at Bonita is definitely a big one for us. We know what’s at stake, and everyone is focused on competing for a league title, so it would be amazing if we come away with the win.”
Up next: The Tartans travel to Bonita on Tuesday evening at 5:30.
The Bearcats sit just one-half a game back of their visitors.
GHS outlasted BHS in five games back on September 10th.
Palomares League Standings:
Glendora (11-11, 4-1)
Bonita (14-3, 3-1)
Ayala (19-6, 3-2)
Claremont (10-8, 2-2)
Diamond Bar (18-8, 2-3)
Walnut (11-12, 0-5)
Freeway Series Tournament Results:
9/25: GHS 2, Chino 0
9/25: Roosevelt 2, GHS 0
9/25: GHS 2, El Dorado 1
9/26: GHS 2, Santiago 0
9/26: GHS 2, Bishop Amat 1
9/26: Los Osos 2, GHS 0
GHS Stat Leaders:
Kills:
Valentina Zurla (196)
Samantha Oliver (121)
Alexandra Oliver (111)
Katelyn Hawkins (62)
Aces:
Kaleia Zeits (39)
Valentina Zurla (26)
Zinachi Nduaguibe (24)
Digs:
Kaleia Zeits (427)
Miya Noborio (167)
Valentina Zurla (159)
Brooklyn Salazar (144)
Assists:
Brooklyn Salazar (319)
Amelia Arzaga (232)
Kaleia Zeits (69)
Glendora’s Remaining Schedule:
9/29: GHS at Bonita
10/1: Walnut at GHS
10/6: Ayala at GHS
10/8: GHS at Diamond Bar
10/13: GHS at Claremont
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