Panatier, Van Nuys Flatten Marshall

Jenna Panatier doesn’t just want to slam the ball for a point.

“I want to make craters in the floor,” Van Nuys High’s outside hitter said as she punched the air for emphasis.

The court at Occidental College remained flat Saturday night, but Panatier was still dominant, finishing with 14 kills, as the undefeated Wolves bombarded Marshall, 15-4, 15-3, 15-7, to win the City Section 3-A Division championship.

It marked the Wolves’ third straight 3-A title.

Marshall Coach Robert Avila said his team was powerless against the booming kills of Panatier.

“She goes down the line, goes cross court, anything she wants,” Avila said.

Panatier was on the end of many deft passes from senior Kate Lee (11 assists) and junior Connie Chae (10 assists, 11 digs, five aces).

Van Nuys Coach David Bessler said Chae is the team’s key for success. “She glues the team together,” Bessler said. “She’s such a fantastic setter, she makes it easy for the whole team.”

Chae, however, gave all the credit to Panatier.

“It’s really simple,” she said. “You just put it up anywhere.”

And then it’s the other team’s problem.

Save for some drawn-out rallies, the Wolves weren’t challenged and forced the shorter Barristers on their collective heels the entire match. In Game 3, an ace by Janny Phan brought Marshall (13-3) to within 6-4. But three kills by Panatier and two by Chae pushed the Van Nuys lead to 10-5.

Except for a preseason match when they lost a game to Chatsworth, the Wolves (17-0) have won every game this season.

Van Nuys will find out Monday if it will receive an invitation to the state tournament.

Panatier would like nothing more. There are still some craters to be made.