2005 CIF State
Volleyball Championships

December 3, 2005
Saddleback College, Mission Viejo

Following are recaps of each state championship final match:

Division I: Los Alamitos Makes it Two in Three Years with Sweep

Don’t even be bummed!” junior middle blocker Leanna Richey told her Liberty teammates after heavily favored Los Alamitos swept the Lions in the state Div. I match Saturday night. “We’re second in the whole state.”

Liberty’s best chance to take a set off of the powerful Griffins came in Game 1, which was tied at 27-27 before Los Al put it away. A long serving run by Los Al senior outside hitter Rachael Moss to open Game 2 set the tone for the rest of the match.

Los Al coach Jimmy Munoz, who was an assistant when the Griffins won state two years ago, said you saw Los Al volleyball in Games 2 and 3. “We settled down and played our game. We have so many weapons. I think we served tough and defense. That took them out of their game, which allowed us to stay in our game.”

Alex Filkins led Los Al with 12 kills, while Moss, who was named MVP, added nine kills, 13 digs and four aces. Emilie Stewart had four kills and four blocks in an expanded role for the senior, who transferred to Los Al before the year.

Kady Try led Liberty with seven kills, the bulk of which came in the first game. Nicole Anderson and Cecchini combined for 11 more, but Liberty managed to hit just .101 for the night.

MVP: Rachael Moss, Los Alamitos

All-Tournament Team: Alex Filkins and Geena Urango, Los Alamitos; Allison Cecchini and Kelley Quinn, Liberty

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Katelyn Burke, Los Alamitos; Nicole Anderson, Liberty

Division II: Mira Costa Wins Second Straight Title Over Previously Unbeaten Archbishop Mitty

At 40-0, Archbishop Mitty stood one win away from producing the best single-season record all time in California history as it took the court for the state Div. II final Saturday evening at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. There was just one problem: the Monarchs were playing a Mira Costa team that many consider the best team ever from the Golden State. Mitty fought gamely, but Mira Costa (35-2) had too many weapons, beating the Monarchs, 25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15, in a match-up of national top 5 teams.

The loss ended a 50 match unbeaten streak for Mitty (40-1) dating back to 2004 and denied the Monarchs their third successive state title.

“Being successful for a full 13 months is hard to do,” said Mitty coach Bret Almazan-Cezar. “It’s hard sometimes to pass three balls in a row, let alone win three championships in a row.”

Mira Costa won the first two games handily, relying on the combination of setter Taylor Carico to outside hitter Alix Klineman to produce points in bunches, but a speech delivered by Mitty libero Whitney Leonard before Game 3 inspired the Monarchs. Sheena Donohue had seven of her team high 14 kills in the game, including the game winner, to give Mitty hope.

Mira Costa, whose only two losses were to national champions Louisville (Ky.) Assumption, quickly squelched that, using its overwhelming height and seven Klineman kills (26 total) to take control in the middle of the fourth game. The title was its second in a row after winning in Div. I a year ago.

MVP: Taylor Carico, Mira Costa

All-Tournament Team: Lauren Bledsoe and Alix Klineman, Mira Costa; Sheena Donohue and Lacey Gera, Archbishop Mitty

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Rachel Short, Mira Costa; Lacey Gera, Archbishop Mitty

Division III: St. Francis Takes Crown in First State Championship Game

Despite making their inaugural appearance in the state volleyball finals, the St. Francis Troubadours were calm on the trip to Saddleback College, even making airplanes out the window en route. Saturday afternoon, keeping calm under intense pressure from defending champion Rim of the World, they soared, using tremendous serving, passing and multiple options on offense to sweep to the Div. III title.

St. Francis, which rallied from down two games to zero against Campolindo in the NorCal Regional finals, rallied again in Game 1 of the title match, this time from down 20-15. But two kills and an ace from junior Sunny Malhoski contributed to a five-point run that tied the game at 20-20 in a game St. Francis eventually won, 26-24, thanks to a Taryn Wright ace and a roll shot from Cassie Loessberg.

In a match where every St. Francis player on the court was on her game, Wright, who was named MVP, stood out about all others. She registered a total of 12 aces on the afternoon, including the backbreaker in Game 2 and six in Game 3, and set a near perfect match. Four Troubadour players had at least six kills, led by Justine Schiele’s 14.

Sonja Newcombe had 18 kills and Cassie Ells added 12 for Rim, whose passing really suffered throughout.

“We had no pressure,” said St. Francis libero Kara Saavedra. “We were the underdogs. They had the pressure because they had something to defend. We just had to go in and take it from them.”

MVP: Taryn Wright, St. Francis

All-Tournament Team: Cassie Loessberg and Justine Schiele, St. Francis; Nique Fradella and Sonja Newcombe, Rim of the World

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Elizabeth Ostapeck, St. Francis; Cassie Ells, Rim of the World

Division IV: Francis Parker Needs Just Three Games for Second Straight Title

Playing in their first state championship final, St. Mary’s found itself down 21-13 in Game 1 to Francis Parker, the defending state Division IV champions with virtually their entire team back. Rather than fold, the Panthers rallied to take a 24-23 lead on an ace from setter Cory Burgamy, but could not close out the Lancers. Parker (32-4) scored the last three points of the game to pull out the win, took a close second game and dominated the third to earn the sweep in the Div. IV title match Saturday afternoon at Saddleback College.

“They came at us with aggressive serving and are an all-around good team,” said senior Bernie Leary, who won the CIF Sportsmanship Award for her team. “I thought we stepped up a lot and put up a fight.”

St. Mary’s (33-7) had no answer for Parker outside hitter Cassidy Lichtman, who had 19 kills in 28 swings and added 11 digs and eight blocks. The junior was named state finals MVP for the second year in a row. Alexis Crusey added 16 kills and Sarah Wolfe had 35 assists for the Lancers.

Francis Parker hit .393 as a team while the Panthers managed .094.

Tarah Murrey was outstanding for St. Mary’s, registering 12 kills and 13 digs. “She is big time,” said Parker head coach Eric Sato, a former Olympian. “It’s scary because she’s only a sophomore.”

MVP: Cassidy Lichtman, Francis Parker

All-Tournament Team: Alexis Crusey and Kaylynne De La Rosa, Francis Parker; Natalie Bogan and Tarah Murray, St. Mary's

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Sarah Wolfe, Francis Parker; Bernie Leary, St. Mary's

Division V: Santa Fe Christian Wins Second Title in Fourth Straight Finals Showing

A team that cannot pass cannot win. Saturday at Saddleback College, the passing that had been a staple of success for Castilleja all season long deserted the Gators at inopportune times. The result was a sweep at the hands of Santa Fe Christian in the Division V state title match.

Making its first state finals appearance in school history, Castilleja’s nerves showed early on with passes that took the Gators out of their offense and forced them to try to score with off balance shots or swings from impossible angles. Santa Fe, in the finals for the fourth straight time, took advantage and cruised to the opening game win behind seven kills from MVP Alanna Resch.

Castilleja settled down in the second game and used three Alissa Flesher kills to take a 9-5 lead. After the Gators fell behind 22-20, two more Flesher kills got them even only to lose the momentum on a service error. A hitting error and dump from Santa Fe setter Abbie Wright, who was brilliant running Santa Fe’s fast offense, put Castilleja in a two-game hole. Game 3 also was close, with the teams tied at 21-21 until a Santa Fe kill and three successive Castilleja errors sent the Gators home on the short end of a 3-0 sweep.

The win was the second in three years for Santa Fe (23-11), which was 13-11 in mid-October after playing a brutal schedule before winning its last 11 matches in a row. Resch led the way with 21 kills while Wright had 47 assists.

Ariel Baxterbeck led Castilleja (36-7) with 14 kills and 12 digs. Flesher added nine kills and six blocks.

MVP: Alanna Resch, Santa Fe Christian

All-Tournament Team: Abbie Wright and Maile Miller, Santa Fe Christian; Ariel Baxterbeck and Alissa Fletcher, Castilleja

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Abbie Wright, Santa Fe Christian; Chelsea Ono-Horn, Castilleja

recaps written by John Tawa, PrepVolleyball.com