Spikers Extend Playoff Win Streak

Something about the City Section playoffs brings out the best in the Palisades High girls’ volleyball team. The Dolphins seem to shift into another gear when the postseason rolls around and that trend continued Monday night in the second round of the Division II playoffs, as #2-seeded Palisades swept #15 South East, 25-10, 25-5, 25-14. It was the 11th consecutive City playoff victory dating back to 2007 for the defending champion Dolphins, who showed little signs of rust after having a first-round bye. Palisades racked up 21 aces, 15 kills and nine blocks against South East and hosts #23 Reseda in the quarterfinals tonight at 7. Reseda upset #7 West Adams in five games on Monday. If victorious, Palisades would host a semifinal match, likely against #3 Taft, next Tuesday night. The Dolphins are seemingly on a collision course to meet Western League rival Venice, the top seed, in the finals Saturday afternoon, Nov. 21, at Roybal Learning Center. Girls’ Tennis Coach Sean Passan was hoping Palisades’ depth would be the decisive factor against top-seeded Granada Hills in the City Section semifinals Monday, but the host Highlanders proved to be too tough, winning 5’2 and advancing to Friday’s final to face #2 Taft. The Dolphins (11-5), seeded #4 after finishing second to LACES in the Western League, eliminated #5 Carson, 5-2, in the quarterfinals last Friday on the strength of singles victories by Elizabeth Silvers, Perri Zaret and Malina Loeher and doubles wins by Katie Takakjian and Charlotte Farrant at #2 and Dalia Shamsian and Ashley Navas at #3. Zaret, a sophomore, defeated Amy Shigenaga, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 3 for Palisades’ only singles point against the defending City champions (13-2). Takakjian and Farrant rallied from 5-2 down in the third set to prevail at #2 doubles, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, but Granada Hills had already clinched the match. Cross Country Palisades won the boys and girls varsity races at the Western League Championships last week at Pierce College. Grant Stromberg ran a personal-best 15:54 for first place in the boys race. Carlos Bustamante was second (16:19), Danny Escalante was fifth (17:06), Drake Johnston was ninth (17:19), Daniel Hernandez was 16th (17:53), Alex Hernandez was 22nd (18:31) and Eric Lopez was 23rd (18:39). Freshman Jacklyn Bamberger again led the girls, finishing first in 18:29. Sophia Stone ran a personal-best 20:08 to take third, Melissa Tallis (21:04) was fourth, Michelle Colato (21:09) was fifth, Wendy Gomez (21:42) was eighth, Jamilett Maldonado (22:07) was 11th and Amy Moulthrop (24:13) was 20th. The City Section preliminaries are this afternoon at Pierce.