VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Van Nuys Rolls an 11 on Poly and Wins Title

They sat and wept because the match was over.

Then they stood and grabbed the championship trophy.

In an emotional thriller, Van Nuys High defeated Poly, 6-15, 15-2, 7-15, 15-6, 15-11, in the City Section 3-A Division volleyball final Saturday at Occidental College.

The Wolves trailed in the fifth game, 11-4, but scored the last 11 points. The Parrots couldn’t stop Van Nuys during the run, forcing only two sideouts.

“This is the best win I’ve ever had,” said Mira Lew, who cried tears of joy when the match ended.

The Wolves (14-3) won the 3-A title in 1992 and 1993.

“This was so much better,” said Lew, a senior. “Everybody contributed. It wasn’t just one or two persons.”

Lew, Erika Alvarez and Jane Ahn each had six kills for the Wolves. Angela Eckmier had 16 blocks.

The Parrots (12-5) were in control for most of the match thanks to their serving.

They had five aces in the first and third games, both victories.

But the Parrots, who received 13 kills from Latoya Seeley and eight kills and six blocks from Marlena McLurkin, couldn’t stop the Wolves’ fifth-game run.

Lew and Ahn each had two kills during the comeback.

“If you would have asked me in the middle of the match who would have won, I would have said Poly,” Van Nuys Coach. Dave Bessler said. “It could have gone either way.”

In the end, it went the Wolves’ way.