SECTION PLAYOFFS : Volleyball : La Jolla Wins 2-A, San Dieguito 3-A

Kyle Kupiec of La Jolla High School and San Dieguito’s Erik Sullivan took markedly different paths to Friday’s San Diego Section boys’ volleyball championships, but both had at least one thing in common by night’s end.

Sullivan was a dominating force as San Dieguito swept Palomar League rival Poway, 15-12, 15-13, 15-7, to win its second consecutive section title in the 3-A match, and Kupiec had 25 kills to lead La Jolla to the section’s first 2-A title with a 15-3, 10-15, 15-11, 15-11 victory over San Pasqual at Torrey Pines High School.

Sullivan, a junior, is one of the top players in the county, and he showed why against Poway with 20 kills, seven blocks and four service aces.

But after Poway started with two in-your-face blocks of Sullivan and Wayde Gilliam, Sullivan wasn’t thinking championship. He was thinking about the last time San Dieguito faced Poway; the Titans won, three games to one, behind a solid blocking attack.

“I knew they were going to do that,” Sullivan said. “(Last time) I let it affect me a lot. I took myself right out of the game.”

Unfortunately for Poway, Sullivan decided to stick around this time.

The Titans (14-3) squandered leads in the first two games and didn’t muster much of a challenge in Game 3. Poway led, 9-5, in Game 1 and had what appeared to be a commanding 12-4 lead in Game 2 before San Dieguito rallied.

“We figured after we got a few points they didn’t want the game,” Sullivan said. “They didn’t have the killer instinct.”

San Dieguito didn’t let Poway into the third game, taking a 12-1 lead. The only suspense was when the Mustangs would score match point. San Dieguito finally put the match away on its 11th attempt at match point on quick-set kill by Matt Fleming.

Top-seeded San Dieguito (13-2) did not want to let Poway back in, especially after last year’s championship match. The Mustangs led, two games to none, but Poway rallied to tie it, 2-2, before San Dieguito won the fifth game, 15-7.

There was no last year for La Jolla or San Pasqual. Both benefited from the addition of a 2-A championship this year.

It only seemed fitting then that a first-year player should be the key to the outcome.

Kupiec, a senior, is a basketball player who was talked into coming out for volleyball by some friends. And he almost didn’t make it this far after his introduction to the sport.

“The first time we practiced, it was a joke,” Kupiec said. “The first time I went up for a block, the ball went through my arms and hit me in the head. I screamed ‘I hate this sport.’

“But I went over, took a drink of water and went back at it.”

Kupiec looked as if he had been playing a lot longer than a year against San Pasqual. He and senior Kevin Roberts, who had 18 kills, dominated the middle.

Top-seeded La Jolla (20-1) rolled to a 15-3 victory in the first game, but second-seeded San Pasqual (14-3) rallied to tie the match.

“I think we got a little lackadaisical,” Kupiec said. “I think we knew they would come back, but in the back of your mind you take a little break.”

But La Jolla played tough in the final two games, winning both, 15-11. Roberts had a kill for side out and then combined with Kupiec to block San Pasqual’s Mike Sheffey for the match winner.