VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP

In City Section volleyball finals:

Van Nuys def. Palisades 2-15, 13-15, 15-3, 15-13, 15-11--No one can say the Van Nuys girls’ volleyball team didn’t earn its first City Section volleyball championship. After upsetting second-seeded Chatsworth in a five-game semifinal, the Wolves rallied from a two-game deficit to upset top-seeded Palisades at Occidental College in Eagle Rock.

Hala Hadawar led the third-seeded Wolves (16-1) with 28 kills and Tara Tesiaa added 17.

Sophomore setter Hana Hadawar had 38 assists for Van Nuys, which took a 9-5 lead in the fifth game.

Jordan Payton-Fearnley led the Dolphins (16-1) with 18 kills and Gillie McGraw added 12 for Palisades, which has won 21 City Section titles since the sport was sanctioned in 1973.

Van Nuys used six aces, four by Tesiaa, to build an 11-0 lead in Game 3 and won it on an ace by Kim Fernandez.

Palisades built a 10-1 lead in Game 4 before Van Nuys battled back to tie at 13 on a Hala Hadawar kill, took the lead on a hit wide by McGraw and evened the match on a dump by Hana Hadawar.

Palisades needed only 12 minutes to win the first game and lead, 12-6, in the second game.

Van Nuys tied it at 13 but a hit long on Hala Hadawar and a roof by Charlotte gave the Dolphins a two-game lead.

In the City Invitational final, San Pedro defeated Granada Hills, 15-6, 5-15, 15-10, 7-15, 15-12.