Cougars’ run ends in semis

LOS ANGELES • The Granite Hills volleyball team went further than it ever had before.

But the Cougars’ historic run came to a halt on Tuesday night. Second-ranked Brentwood defeated seventh-ranked Granite Hills in four games
25-16, 14-25, 25-21 and 25-22 in a CIF-Southern Section Division III-AA semifinal match.

“I’m always most proud of how we came together, how we stick together,” Granite Hills coach Fern Crenshaw said. “We battled to the end. The hitters hit well, the defense played unbelievable, the setters set well. Outside, everyone (played well), it just wasn’t enough today.”

The Cougars (19-4) were led by junior Victoria Iosefa who totaled 17 kills, nine digs and two aces. Senior Carly Chandler added 16 digs and junior Hannah Fortin finished with 10 kills. Krystal Jewett and Alex Nolasco each dished out 15 assists.

While the Cougars received contributions all over the floor, they struggled at times against Brentwood’s big hitters, including Paris Coleman who tallied 10 kills in Game 3 alone.

“When we passed the ball enough so that we could swing, I think we were hard to stop,” Brentwood coach Jeff Porter said. “When we weren’t it was anybody’s game. To Granite Hills’ credit, when we were in that mode, they took advantage, especially in Game 2.”

Experience might have played a role in the match. Brentwood, which finished second in the Olympic League this season and went to the semifinals last season, advanced to the section championship match for the second time in three years. The Eagles will play the winner of fellow Olympic League schools Village Christian and Campbell Hall for the title.

Prior to this season the furthest that the Cougars (19-4) had gone in the postseason was the second round.

“It’s sad (that the season ended), but in the long run we’ll be happy that we made it this far to the semifinals,” senior co-captain Jill Betts said. “That’s a really good accomplishment.”

This season, the Cougars — led by their eight seniors — lost only one set on the way to winning the Desert Sky League title. Then they swept Vista del Lago, beat Charter Oak in four games in the second round and squeaked by Quartz Hill in the quarterfinals.

Outside of an early-season nonleague loss to Serrano and two losses in the Ayala Tournament, Granite didn’t lose to anyone else.

In the first set, Brentwood took the lead at 4-3 and never relinquished it and won 25-16.

The Cougars then jumped out to a 9-4 edge in the second set, but saw the Eagles rally back to within one at 10-9. Following a timeout, Iosefa’s kill ignited the Cougars on a 9-1 run. Fortin finished off the set for the Cougars with a kill.

Granite Hills fell behind 8-0 in the third set and trailed 16-4 before rallying. The Cougars trailed 24-16 when they scored five straight points, but Iosefa’s kill attempt went long to end the set.

The fourth set was a see-saw affair in which both teams traded points behind long rallies. Granite Hills jumped out to a 3-1 lead, then fell behind until Fortin’s kill gave the Cougars a 15-14 advantage. Granite Hills then claimed a 19-16 lead on an Iosefa point.

Brentwood called timeout, and from there the Eagles’ Drew Hargrave scored three kills during a 6-1 run to take a 22-20 lead. Granite made it 22-21 on a net, and 23-22 on Karilyn Betts’ kill.

But the Eagles closed out the match on Coleman’s kill followed by too many touches by the Cougars.

“It was back and forth,” Jill Betts said. “We had the momentum, and then they would. It was evenly matched, I just think they just wanted it more.”

C.J. Daft can be reached at christiand@vvdailypress.com or at 951-6275.