STATE VOLLEYBALL DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP : La Habra Shrugs Off Injury to Win Title

La Habra High School’s chances of winning its first state volleyball championship were dealt a severe blow in the first game of its match with Moraga Campolindo Saturday night in Titan Gym at Cal State Fullerton.

The Highlanders lost junior middle blocker Missy Clements, their best player, when she dislocated her left kneecap.But they hung on gamely to win the Division II state girls’ volleyball championship, 9-15, 15-10, 4-15, 15-5, 15-7.

With Clements icing her swelling knee, La Habra Coach Sandy Blumenthal turned to her bench, called on little-used 5-4 sophomore Karin Schambeck and moved junior outside hitter Leslie Ferguson into the middle.

“I’ve been sitting on the bench most of the year,” Schambeck said. “I saw her (Clements) get hurt and I though that she’d (Blumenthal) probably put me in. I was shocked at first, (to be playing), but after a while, I lost the nervousness and started to feel more relaxed.”

Schambeck, who served six aces, played a major role in the fifth game, when she served eight consecutive points to close out the match, including an ace for the game-winning point.

Clements, who was playing some of the best volleyball of the season, said sitting helplessly on bench was more painful than her knee.

The Highlanders (21-1) were forced to go with a makeshift lineup and used a balanced team effort to counter Campolindo’s 6-3 middle blocker Alyson Randick, who had 25 kills on the night. Campolindo finished the season with a record of 25-2.

“At first (when Missy was injured) I thought, ‘Oh my gosh,’ ” said junior middle blocker Ana Kristich. “That shocked us. We didn’t know what to do.”

Kristich said they looked to captain Deana Shively, who shouldered the added responsibility admirably, getting 18 kills to lead the Highlanders.

“We were concerned about Missy,” said Blumenthal. “Any time someone’s injured (your) thoughts are (about) that person. You hope she’s not hurt seriously and that everything’s going to be ok. My main concern though, was we haven’t had anyone else work in that position.”

Fortunately for La Habra, Schambeck was ready and able.