STATE VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Torrey Pines Makes Title Game

Talent alone couldn’t make Torrey Pines High into the first San Diego team to qualify for a state girls’ volleyball championship.

Guilt had a lot to do with it.

After Torrey Pines had dozed its way to a two-games-to-one deficit in the finals of the Southern California Regionals, the Falcons had seen enough of the disappointment in the face of Coach Jim Harrah.

So the Falcons rallied to take an 11-15, 15-12, 7-15, 15-10, 15-11 victory from Fullerton Sunny Hills at Torrey Pines Tuesday night and advance to the Division II state title game at Cal State Fullerton Saturday afternoon. Torrey Pines will meet the winner of the Northern California Regional.

It is the first time a San Diego team has made it this far in the large school divisions--Division I or II--of the playoffs.

But the Falcons didn’t make it easy on themselves or on Harrah en route. Sometime after the third game, Harrah turned and whispered something under his breath, but the word cardiologist was clear as day.

“We felt so guilty because we could see how frustrated our coach was,” said senior setter Michelle Pistone, who had 14 kills for Torrey Pines.

The Falcons came out listless and without the fire that got them here in the first place. It was a helpless feeling for Pistone, who takes some of the team’s leadership responsibilities.

“As a setter, you’re supposed to be a leader, and I kept trying to find ways to get everyone fired up. . . . We kept saying, ‘This isn’t a league game, this is state, we lose here, it’s all over.’ ”

Sunny Hills (21-3) didn’t exactly inspire the Falcons with its steady play and the hitting skills of Rachel Hochgesang.

Hochgesang, who finished the night with a high of 23 kills, almost singlehandedly at times, kept the Lancers in the match.

Eventually, Torrey Pines was able to neutralize Hochgesang, and Sunny Hills, but not without a fight.

In the deciding game, behind the serving of Crystal Vazzana, Brooke Richardson and Carey May, the Falcons jumped to a 10-1 lead. There were six Torrey Pines aces in the final game.

“They were serving well, and when you’re serving well, the other team can’t pass as well and that’s what happened,” Hochgesang said.

After taking a 12-2 lead, Sunny Hills fought back to 12-9. At 14-9, the Lancers turned back the Falcons on two match points, but May (18 kills, four aces) served out championship point and Sunny Hills returned it long.

Harrah was sorry his team felt bad for him, but if that’s what it meant to get to the title game, he’ll take it.

“Is that what they said? They felt guilty? Well, I was frustrated for them . . . The key in the end was we stopped making mental errors and started playing Torrey Pines volleyball.”