Poker face

By Michael Ashcraft --

Somewhere in Santa Monica, neighbors are blazing mad. Banging ball after blazing ball cracking loudly against an alley wall has been driving them crazy for the last few days.

It was LCA sophomore Frida Macías perfecting her serves. On Wednesday, her ace serves left Pilgrim School with aces of spades.

"Frida's always been a poker face. She always looks happy no matter waht," says Coach Jessica Young. "It was the best serving she ever did. She got so many in a row, they called time out on her twice to stop her serving streak. That was a big deal for her."

It was a big deal for Lighthouse Christian Academy, which won 25-7, 25-22, 25-14.

"I've been hitting the wall over on my alley, my garage wall," Frida says.

Lots and lots and lots of serves.

Meanwhile, Dahlia Gonzalez turned into Robin Hood with arrow shot serves that split her competitor's arrow in the bull's eye.

"It's the first time Dahlia has served the ball to the spot I told her every time," Coach Jessica said.

The Saints won despite injuries. Allie Scribner, LCA's setter, hurt her wrist. Liyat Belay experienced a blood pressure drop. And Clara Czer twisted her ankle the previous when in pickup game with the LCA boys, jungleball king Ben Lahood came down on it. (Minus points for Ben).

But ankle injuries didn't affect Clara's serves, which fell like meteorites bringing extinction to the dinosaurs.

"I just kind of think of a key word to focus, usually it's 'Jesus,'" says Clara. "I've always had a strong serve but angling it and putting it down in the window above the net but below the antenna has been the challenge."

In the name of Jesus, SMASH!

LCA is 6-1 this season.

Read about LCA's other games:

War of the Battleships

Four more inches, please
God save the Queen!
Is Tuesday the 13th a Thing?
Zeus Showed Up
Michael Ashcraft teaches journalism at the Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica.