Pali High Volleyball Upset in City Semis

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Heading into the City Open Division semifinal match on Monday, October 30, the Palisades Charter High School girls volleyball team was a perfect 24-0 this season against section opponents.

The top-seeded Dolphins appeared to be on their way to extending that streak when they won the first set thanks in large part to an 11-point serving run by Tulah Block, but visiting El Camino Real raised its game and dominated the next two sets to seize control.

Palisades showed grit in forcing a fifth and deciding set, and even took an 8-6 lead on a stuff block, but the fourth-seeded Royals won nine of the last 12 points to pull off a 16-25, 25-12, 25-9, 18-25, 15-11 upset that avenged a 25-22, 25-21 defeat September 22 in pool play at the Crescenta Valley Tournament.

It marked the third straight season that the Dolphins were eliminated on their home court. They fell to Granada Hills in four sets in the semifinals in 2021 and were swept by Venice in the quarterfinals last fall. They won the last of their record 30 City titles in 2020.

“After that third set we had to dig deep and come together, and that’s what we did,” junior opposite hitter Brooke Stratton said. “We played them in a tournament and the sets were pretty close, so we expected a tough match. Once you get to a fifth set, anything can happen.”

El Camino Real captured its only City girls title in 2015, sweeping Carson in the Division I final after outlasting Palisades in five sets in the semifinals in its last season under coach Dave Chae. Alyssa Lee, an All-City libero at Granada Hills in 2007 and 2008, took over the program the following year and led the boys team to its first title on her way to City Coach of the year honors.

The Royals (22-8) will face West Valley League rival Taft (40-10) for the championship Friday, November 3, at 8 p.m. at CSUN. They split their two league meetings, each winning in four sets on the other team’s home floor, but the Toreadors earned the higher seed as the league champion.

Taft, the No. 3 seed, upset No. 2 Venice in five sets in Monday’s other Open Division semifinal.

“This is the most special team I’ve ever played on,” Stratton said, fighting back tears. “Win or lose, I’m proud to be part of this group and it’s been very rewarding.”

Palisades (35-7), the Western League champion, needed four sets to knock out No. 8 Birmingham in the quarterfinals last Wednesday, October 25. The Patriots (14-16) were last in the West Valley League.

As one of the City’s eight Open Division teams, Palisades has earned an automatic berth in the CIF SoCal Regional playoffs, which begin November 7.