PREP ROUNDUP : La Habra Edges Sunny Hills in Volleyball

Nothing comes easy when La Habra and Sunny Hills, the top-ranked girls’ volleyball teams in the Southern Section Division 3-A, meet in a Freeway League match.

No. 1-ranked La Habra clinched its third consecutive league championship with a 9-15, 15-11, 8-15, 15-12, 15-8 victory over the No. 2 Lancers Tuesday night at La Habra.

It was the second time this season the teams went five games, and the second time that La Habra’s Zrinka Kristich has led the Highlanders to victory. Kristich, a 6-foot-5 hitter, had 34 kills, including 17 in the final two games, to bring La Habra (16-2, 9-0 in league) back from a 2-1 games deficit.

Sunny Hills (12-3, 7-2) took the lead behind outside hitter Rachel Hochesang, who had 25 kills and five aces. The Lancers served well throughout the match, keeping the ball away from Kristich most of the night.

But in the final two games, La Habra’s passing improved dramatically, allowing setter Stefanie Bakke to get the ball to Kristich consistently.