SAN DIEGO SECTION PLAYOFFS : Volleyball : Grossmont Tops Mt. Carmel in 3-A : USDHS Defeats La Jolla for Second Straight 2-A Title

It was not difficult for Grossmont High School to find an added incentive against Mt. Carmel in the section 3-A championship match at University City High School Saturday night.

“(Mt. Carmel) beat us two years in a row in CIF and we wanted revenge,” Grossmont outside hitter Suzy Schutz said. “We wanted it so bad.”

Grossmont got it.

The Foothillers dominated Mt. Carmel for a 15-5, 15-12, 10-15, 15-6 victory. The win broke a six-year hold on the 3-A championship by Palomar League teams. Poway won the last three titles and Torrey Pines won the previous three. Grossmont, of the Grossmont League, defeated Torrey Pines in the semifinals.

University of San Diego High School won its second consecutive 2-A title with a 17-15, 15-11, 15-4 victory over La Jolla. Defending state Division III champion Francis Parker easily won its second straight 1-A title with a 15-4, 15-2, 15-3 win over Calvin Christian.

Except for a lapse at the start of the third game, Grossmont controlled the match almost at will.

“We’re the ony team in San Diego County that has a good middle attack,” said Debbie Kane, Grossmont coach. “It’s too hard to block the middle attack.”

Schutz led Grossmont’s outside attack with 18 kills, and middle blocker Andrea Radmilovich added 12 kills. Grossmont outblocked Mt. Carmel, 8-2, in the match.

In the 2-A match, USDHS was led by a spectacular dig save by Karen Steffen with La Jolla leading 11-5 in the second game.

Steffen dived to the floor, sliding her hand between the ball and the floor. La Jolla, thinking it had scored its 12th point, turned to celebrate, but USDHS returned the ball over the net for a side out. La Jolla did not score again in the game.

“I couldn’t believe I got my fingers under it,” Steffen said. “I just did it out of last minute thinking.”

La Jolla was no match for USDHS’ powerful middle attack of Jeni Murrell and Alicia Turner. Turner had 20 kills and Murrell had 11.