Chaparral Just Can’t Contain Mira Costa

Secretly, as the Mira Costa girls’ volleyball team paved a path of destruction through the playoffs, Coach DaeLea Aldrich had dreaded the moment that finally arrived Tuesday night.

The Mustangs lost a game, something they hadn’t done since Nov. 5. With only one senior starter, Aldrich was concerned how her team would respond under the playoff pressure.

Turns out, there wasn’t much to worry about. Mira Costa showed the mettle required of a champion and rallied to win the next game, the match and a spot in the Division I state final with a 25-21, 25-8, 18-25, 25-22 victory over Temecula Chaparral in the Southern California Regional final at Mira Costa.

“I think the things around their necks got a little tighter,” Aldrich said. “I was worried because this is a young team and we haven’t been in that situation for a while, but they certainly came back with confidence.”

Mira Costa (28-3) will play returning finalist Grass Valley Nevada Union in the state final at 5 p.m. Saturday at Cypress College. Mira Costa, which has four Southern Section titles in the last five years, has not won a state title since 1989.

The Mustangs waltzed through the second game, needing only one service rotation, and appeared headed for their eighth consecutive playoff sweep before Chaparral (30-6) took the third game. Jessica Hardy, a junior outside hitter, then took over.

She had seven of her 13 kills in the final game and had a crucial block on Chaparral star hitter Kelly Tennant that made the score 20-17. Hardy had two more kills in the game, which ended when Tennant hit long.

“I was pretty angry after we lost that third game,” said Hardy, who also had 13 digs.

Hardy was only part of the attack for Mira Costa, which in the end, simply had too many weapons for Chaparral.

Alix Klineman had 15 kills and 12 digs, Lauren Bledsoe had eight kills and six blocks and Taylor Carico had 35 assists and 10 digs for Mira Costa.

Megan Haas had 12 kills and Tennant had 11 to lead Chaparral.