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HUNTINGTON BEACH >> Aliso Niguel came into this girls volleyball season with a solid foundation of returning players.
The Wolverines constructed a sturdy wall Saturday to win a CIF championship match.
Aliso Niguel’s big and aggressive front line was the difference in a win over Huntington Beach in four sets, 27-25, 26-24, 20-25, 25-21, in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Huntington Beach High.
It is the Wolverines’ second CIF-SS girls volleyball championship. They won the CIF-SS title in 2014.
Aliso Niguel players roll on the floor hugging after defeating Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel players run off the bench to celebrate after beating Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach blockers Taylor Ponchak, left, and Kylie Leopard, right, block a shot against Aliso Niguel in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach hitter Kate O’steen, center, drives a shot between Aliso Niguel defenders Brooke Pattschull, left, and Nicole Feliciano, right in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel girls volleyball head coach Richelle Whiting, left, holds the championship plaque over her head as the rest of the team celebrates beating Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach outside hitter Haylee Lafontaine hits the floor diving for a ball hit by Aliso Niguel in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel opposite hitter Kendra Duffey, left, drives a shot between the hands of Huntington Beach blockers Taylor Ponchak, center, and Kylie Leopard, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel defenders Brooke Pattschull, left, and Kendra Duffey, center, cant stop a shot by Huntington Beach outside hitter Lillian Perkins, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The Huntington Beach bench reacts to winning a point against Aliso Niguel in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Huntington Beach players react after losing to Aliso Niguel in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel middle hitter Brooke Pattschull, right, scores a point on a little flick shot against Huntington Beach defender Kylie Leopard in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel defenders Eva Travis, center left, and Rian Barr, center right, watch as the ball bounces off the top of the net after a shot by Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel players react to a play against Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel head coach Richelle Whiting argues a call with the referee that was overturned against Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 2 girls volleyball championship game in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 6, 2021. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Aliso Niguel will take a 26-4 record into the CIF State Volleyball Championships that begin Tuesday. The state tournament brackets will be announced Sunday.
Huntington Beach (28-6) also qualified for the state playoffs.
Aliso Niguel senior middle blocker Brooke Pattschull (6-foot-4), senior outside hitter Kendra Duffey (6-foot) and junior opposite hitter Madyson Smith (6-foot) turned away many Huntington Beach kill attempts at the net.
“That was a game changer,” Duffey said. “That probably helped us win the match.”
Huntington Beach coach Craig Pazanti agreed.
“We haven’t seen a team that blocks balls like that since we played Lakewood (in August) and Cathedral Catholic (in September),” Pazanti said. “They didn’t let us breathe.”
Smith led Aliso Niguel with 15 kills. Duffey had 14 kills.
Huntington Beach sophomore outside hitter Haylee LaFontaine had a team-high 13 kills. Senior opposite Kate O’Steen and senior outside hitter Lillian Perkins had 11 kills each.
Aliso Niguel had a 16-12 lead in the first set when Huntington Beach made its move to take a 23-20 lead. The Wolverines resumed control and won the first set on a block by Duffey.
Huntington Beach led by six points in the second set, 13-7, and had a 22-18 lead but again could not close it out as the Wolverines prevailed 26-24.
Kills and service aces by LaFontaine led the Oilers to their 25-20 win in the third set.
Wolverines team captain Duffey had something to say in the team huddle before the fourth set.
“I knew after we lost that third set we were going to come out so strong,” Duffey said. “I got all the girls together, got everyone hyped up, I was very excited and that made everybody else excited.”
Aliso Niguel scored four of the first five points of the fourth set and fell behind by two points before outscoring the Oilers 9-5 down the stretch to win the set 25-21 and capture the match.
Wolverines coach Richelle Whiting praised the way Duffey played throughout the match.
“She set the tone,” Whiting said. “I’m really proud of how my captain played out there.”
And Whiting made sure the Wolverines front line would be in position to be effective against the Oilers attack.
“Once we figured out what they wanted to do, we kind of made them go up against Brooke and Kendra on the block or go up against Maddy (Smith) and Brooke,” Whiting said. “That’s a tough place to live.”
It was, and so Aliso Niguel was able to take home a CIF championship.
This post first appeared on ocregister.com
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