Dolphins Denied 30th City Volleyball Title

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

It almost seemed like the winningest program in LA City history was destined to win the section’s first-ever Open Division volleyball championship.

Indeed, everything had fallen into place for Palisades on its way to Saturday night’s final. The  third-seeded Dolphins survived a five-set scare against Taft in the first round of the playoffs, then got to host their semifinal match after second-seeded Carson got upset.

Despite a valiant effort, however, there would be no storybook ending. The Dolphins’ quest for a 30th City crown fell one victory short as Granada Hills claimed its fifth title with a 25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18 triumph at Roybal Learning Center in Los Angeles.

“Sometimes we get it in our heads that we have it won and we give away the runs we got at the beginning,” senior middle blocker Angel Echipue said. “It was more a case of us not playing to our potential. In the first game we missed six serves and they won by five. In the second set, we made some mistakes at the end that cost us.”

Palisades (27-8) trailed the opening set 21-14 before Echipue served six straight points, including three aces, to pull the Dolphins within one point, but top-seeded Granada Hills won the last four points on a net violation, two kills by senior setter/hitter Sarah Hagge and a block on Maddie Fowler.

An ace by Echipue gave the Western League champions a 12-7 lead in the second set and they held a seemingly safe 18-12 lead before the West Valley League champion Highlanders (24-6) won 11 of the  next 13 points. Palisades tied it 23-23, but Nicole Deobler pounded a kill crosscourt and Courtney Holl served an ace to give Granada Hills a two sets to none lead.

The Highlanders desperately wanted to finish Palisades off in the third set, but the Dolphins went ahead to stay at 21-20, Alex Laita hit down the line to give the Dolphins four set points and Holl served long two points later.

Determined to level the match at two sets apiece, Palisades surged to a 12-4 lead in the fourth before Hagge stepped to the line and reeled off eight straight points on serve to pull Granada Hills even. The Highlanders took the lead for good at 16-15 and blocked Angelina Burton on championship point.

“They fought really hard to win the third set and they lit a fire under us,” said Hagge, who will play collegiately at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. “Carlos [Gray] is a great coach and Palisades is always one of the best teams. It feels great whenever you beat them because they make you earn it. You have to  fight for every point.”

Winning the title was as much of a relief as a thrill for Hagge, who  remembers losing to Palisades in the finals her sophomore year and to Carson in the semifinals last fall.

Echipue, who led the Dolphins with seven aces, will miss playing with younger sister Melody, who has three years ahead at Palisades.

“She always thinks about what she does wrong so I told her to keep her head up,” the older sibling said. “We’ve won City before and we’ll win it again.”   

Making the inaugural Open Division playoffs earned Palisades an automatic berth in the state playoffs and the Dolphins traveled to Huntington Beach for a Division I first-round matchup Wednesday.