Mira Costa Captures Another State Title

Alix Klineman went into her windup, cocked her right arm and smashed the ball into Emily Burke’s kneecaps, knocking the San Jose Mitty junior to the floor.

Any hopes that Burke and the rest of the Monarchs had of going undefeated also soon collapsed.

Klineman collected 26 kills to lead Manhattan Beach Mira Costa to a 25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15 victory over Mitty in the state Division II championship match Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

“Every kill’s good,” Klineman said with a laugh. “Even though they were undefeated, we still had the edge on them. We went out there and we outplayed them.”

The title is the second in a row for Mira Costa (35-2), which won the Division I championship last season and has won five state titles overall. Mitty (40-1) had won the Division II title the previous two years, beating Santa Ana Mater Dei both times.

Mira Costa was better at the net and the service line than Mitty.

Middle blockers Lauren Bledsoe and Lindsay Gardner, setter Taylor Carico and Klineman, a junior outside hitter, combined for 18 block assists and four solo blocks. Rachel Short had three aces, Jessica Hardy had 11 kills and Carico, the tournament MVP, added six kills.

Mira Costa, ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section Division II-AA coaches’ poll and No. 2 nationally by prepvolleyball.com all season, lost only to Louisville (Ky.) Assumption in the championship matches of two tournaments.

“I know they wanted to be national champions, but I hope they won’t remember the Assumption matches,” Coach Dae Lea Aldrich said. “I hope they’ll remember being out on the court tonight.”

Los Alamitos d. Brentwood Liberty, 29-27, 25-12, 25-14 -- Senior right-side hitter Alex Filkins had 12 kills and senior outside hitter Rachael Moss added nine kills, 13 digs and four aces to lead the Griffins to their second Division I title in three years.

“I never doubted once that we would win this match,” said Moss, who will play at Duke next season.

Moss closed with consecutive kills for the last two points against Liberty (33-10), but otherwise, Los Alamitos (33-3) employed a balanced attack that has been a staple all season.

The Griffins also got eight kills and 10 digs from junior outside hitter Geena Urango and four kills and two solo blocks by senior middle blocker Emilie Stewart.

“This team never ceases to amaze me,” Los Alamitos Coach Jimmy Munoz said. “Every match somebody different steps up, and everyone loves it because they’re all a part of it.”

Sacramento St. Francis d. Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World, 26-24, 25-21, 25-21 -- The top-seeded defending champion Fighting Scots, who had recorded sweeps in seven consecutive postseason matches to advance to the Division III final, were themselves swept.

The stunning setback for Rim of the World (33-4), which was making its first appearance in a state final, came despite 18 kills by Oregon-bound middle blocker Sonja Newcombe, who also had five digs.

Becky Johnstone led her team with seven digs and setter Nique Fradella added six, but the Fighting Scots were on the defensive all day.

St. Francis (40-1) rallied from a 20-15 first-game deficit with effective passing and impressive serving that fooled Rim of the World out of its block-oriented game.