L.B. Wilson Falls to St. Francis

Mountain View St. Francis High had been here before, year after year, snaring the trophies and securing the tradition that comes with winning six state Division II girls’ volleyball championships in the last nine years before moving up, mercifully, to Division I this season.

As for Long Beach Wilson? Simply happy to be part of Saturday’s Division I title match at Cypress College.

Wilson had never been this far, and perhaps it showed at the worst times, with the Bruins dropping two tight games in a 16-14, 15-9, 15-13 loss to St. Francis.

Wilson failed to hold a 14-13 lead in the first game and couldn’t overcome a 14-13 deficit in the third game against the No. 1-ranked team in the nation by Student Sports magazine.

“Give us a little more time and a little more patience and we’ll be there too,” Wilson Coach Susan Pescar said. “All we need is a little more time.”

Wilson, ranked No. 8 in the nation, received 16 kills from junior Brett Quirarte and 15 kills from sophomore Cynthia Barboza.

But St. Francis (31-1) had 22 kills from junior Jessica Gysin and 19 kills from junior Diane Copenhagen. More important, the Lancers knew how to clamp down as the first and third games wound down.

“Did our experience help? All the things our people have been through? Yes,” said St. Francis Coach Kim Oden, who played for the U.S. women’s team in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. “This is a special group.”

St. Francis had already defeated the Bruins in four games in the championship match of the Torrey Pines tournament Nov. 2. Wilson had hoped for a different outcome this time. It didn’t happen.

St. Francis was relentless on its attack and almost flawless on defense, particularly when it mattered most.

Said Pescar: “They had very few errors today.”

Torrance Bishop Montgomery d. San Jose Presentation, 13-15, 15-5, 18-16, 15-8 -- Nicole Read had 17 kills, Noelle Quinn had 15 and the Knights won their third Division III championship since 1996.

It was the third game that pushed the Knights over the top. Bishop Montgomery managed to lose a 9-0 lead and fell behind by scores of 14-12 and 16-15, but rallied to win the game on a soft kill to the middle by Read.

“That kind of made us feel, ‘We’ve got it,’ ” Bishop Montgomery Coach Kim Willeman said.

Quinn, who will go to UCLA on a basketball scholarship, had six blocks for the Knights (29-8). Read and freshman Ashley Ferrell each had four blocks.

Paris Rouissinia had 14 kills for Presentation (29-8).

Bakersfield Liberty d. Los Gatos, 15-10, 15-8, 17-15--The Patriots (32-4), in only their third year of varsity volleyball, won the Division II championship.

Jania Motton led the way for Liberty with 26 kills.

San Francisco University d. Solana Beach Santa Fe Christian, 15-9, 15-5, 11-15, 15-6--Natalie Engmann had 18 kills and the Devils (31-6) won their first Division V championship.