After last year’s disappointing end to the Public League season, Payton had one thing on its mind coming into 2013: redemption.

The Grizzles got one step closer Thursday by defeating host Northside 22-25, 25-17, 25-13 and clinching at least a share of the Public League Gold for the first time since 2010.

“After last year, we just started playing together whenever we could,” said senior Morgan Barnes. “We played beach, we played indoors, whenever we could. We didn’t want what happened last year to happen again.”

Barnes made sure it wouldn’t happen again. One of only five seniors, and a member of the varsity for three years, Barnes had four of her match-high 13 kills in the third and deciding set, including two of her team’s last five. All this despite the heckling of not only her teammates, but the crowd at Northside.

“I just tried to put it out of my mind,” Barnes said. “They make fun, but it’s all in fun. It just motivates me to play better.”

Payton (14-7, 8-0) looked like it would have an easy time against the Mustangs, rushing out to a 6-0 run in Game 1. However, Northside ran off a 12-4 run to go ahead and start what would become a back-and-forth battle for the set. Senior Brittany Broderson had four kills in the run and Natalie Loper six.

The second set started out similarly to the first, with Payton taking a big lead, but the Grizzlies didn’t let the Mustangs (9-9, 7-1) get back in the game this time. After coach Joel Anderson took a time out following a three-point Northside spurt, the Grizzlies went on an 8-4 run to end the set.

Game 3 was tight until a net error and kill by Alina Rosales broke an 8-all tie. Rosales’ kill set off a 14-3 Payton run and put the match out of reach.

“I was on the team that won it last in 2010,” said Barnes. “I saw what it was like for them as seniors and it’s pretty cool to do it my senior year too.”

Bronderson also had 13 kills, while Loper added eight. Sophomore Olivia Rozmus added nine kills for Payton.

Link to story