Paloma volleyball team loses to Ontario Christian in CIF final

Madison Anderson (2) and Channa Hart (5), two of the team's top players Saturday night, celebrate a point with teammates. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre

Paloma Valley High came up short in its bid for a CIF Southern Section girls volleyball championship Saturday night, losing in four sets to top-ranked Ontario Christian at home.

It isn't the end of the season for the Wildcats, who learn on Sunday who their opponent will be on Tuesday in the first round of the CIF State playoffs. It has been that impressive a season for Paloma Valley, which is 26-7 overall. Of course, that didn't take the sting out of the team's first loss since Oct. 6.

Before a packed gym in the Division 5 final, the Wildcats rallied to win the first set, 25-23. They dropped the next three, however, by scores of 25-16, 25-20 and 25-17, to a Knights team that has lost only twice all season. The Knights lost in the CIF finals last year and, like the Wildcats, will also advance to the state tournament.

"With the big crowd and the tough team, they were probably a little more prepared for this match than we were," said Paloma Valley coach Stephen Kaas. "They've been here before and they've done this. Maybe their league prepared them a little more, I don't know. Maybe we just didn't have the intensity they had."

One of the Wildcats' biggest problems on the night was falling behind early. They trailed 12-6 in the first set before Kaas called time out. They still trailed 16-7 before going on a 9-1 run, forcing an Ontario Christian time out with the Knights leading by just two points at 17-15. Seemingly rejuvenated, the Wildcats took their first lead of the night at 24-23 on a kill by Gabby Hollins (left). A position violation by the Knights on the next point gave the first set to Paloma Valley.

Even with that, Kaas knew the rest of the night wasn't going to be easy.

"I knew that team was pretty good and in a match like this, we can't give them those type of leads," Kaas said. "Sure we came back, that was great, but I knew it would be a difficult task the rest of the night."

Once again in the second set, the Knights broke out early, taking a 10-4 lead on a kill by Peyton Tazelaar. Moments later, it was 18-9. Olivia Karwin had two service aces for Paloma as the Wildcats tried to pull back into the set, but the 5-foot-11 Tazelaar helped finish off a Knights rush with two kills and a dink and Ontario Christian had evened the match with a 25-16 win.

Paloma Valley never had a lead in the third set, which featured several big plays at the net by the Knights' junior outside hitter, Jenna Holmes. The fourth set was still close at 20-15 before Holmes and Annaka Jorgenson finished the match off with kills and helped give Ontario Christian the championship plaque.

Middle hitter Channa Hart and outside hitter Madison Anderson were strong on the front line as usual for the Wildcats, but Ontario Christian simply had two much firepower on this night.

"They had some pretty good nights," Kaas said about Hart and Anderson. "They've been part of the strength of our team all year long.

"Teams that can embrace being a good team, stick together and believe in each other .. that makes a big difference. That's what this team has had more than any other we've had. We've had some good fortune this year and we took advantage of it. Tonight we just played a real good team."

Jayde Shelton (13) and Melanie Maclin (9) leap to make a block in Paloma Valley's match Saturday night, Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre

Kayla Thompson makes a pass to a teammate during the CIF championship volleyball match. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre

Olivia Karwin sets up a teammate for a kill during the match against Ontario Christian. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre