Los Alamitos Finishes on Top

For two weeks, players on the Los Alamitos girls’ volleyball team talked as if it were their destiny.

Few outside the Griffin program, however, gave them much of a chance at winning the state Division I title, especially since they were beaten in the Southern Section Division I-A final.

But the players didn’t listen to the naysayers, and Los Alamitos rallied several times Saturday night at Cypress College to defeat Grass Valley Nevada Union, 25-20, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21, and won their first state championship.

The Griffins (28-9) won four consecutive matches on their way to the state title after being swept by Sunset League rival Anaheim Esperanza in the Southern Section final on Nov. 22.

Nevada Union (35-4) was making its first appearance in a state championship match.

The Miners trailed, two games to one, but led, 10-4, in Game 4.

Los Alamitos caught Nevada Union at 12-12 on a kill by freshman Geena Urango, who finished with 14 kills.

The Griffins took the lead, 21-20, when Nikki Kline dumped a ball over a double block for a point. They would never trail again.

Outside hitter Kara Uhl led Los Alamitos with 15 kills.

-- Paul McLeod