Pali High Volleyball Sweeps Fairfax

Fairfax High is not known for its girls volleyball program, but the Lions have been the upstart team in the Western League this season and entered last Thursday’s match tied with Palisades atop the Western League standings.

By the time it was over, however, the host Dolphins left little doubt that they are the team to beat in league this season, sweeping Fairfax out of the gym, 25-17, 25-15, 25-11.

“We always play our game, so it didn’t matter who was on the other side of the court,” Palisades middle blocker Angel Echipue said. “Obviously we knew Fairfax was coming and we know they beat Venice, so we were excited to play them.”

Fairfax was undefeated and brimming with confidence after its five-set triumph over Venice in its previous match, but the Lions’  “keep the ball in play” tactics didn’t work against Palisades.

Though previous opponents  had  been unable to expose the Lions’ glaring weakness – lack of height – the Dolphins took full advantage, controlling the net and finding little resistance on their attacks to the outside.

Behind the setting of Lucky Drageset, the blocking of Echipue and Tielar Richards and the digging of Olivia Zelon, the Dolphins broke Fairfax down with precision passing and well-placed kills, winning each successive set more decisively.

Head coach Carlos Gray was unable to attend the match but he had his team well prepared and in good hands with his assistants, including former Pali High setter and captain Meghan Middleton.

“Of course it’s different to be without our regular coach, but actually all of our coaches are great ao for us it was still a great game,” Echipue said. “Obviously this win is good for our team but it’s not really about confidence, it’s about playing our game.”

The teams meet again Nov. 4 at Fairfax but they won’t face each other in the City Section playoffs because the schools play in different divisions — Palisades in Division I and Fairfax in Division II.

The next day, Palisades maintained its lead in the league race with a 25-5, 25-9, 25-13 win against visiting Westchester.

The teams matched up again Monday at Westchester and this time Palisades streaked past the Comets, 25-9, 25-16, 25-18.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ junior varsity squad traveled north Saturday to compete in the Sylmar Tournament and wound up taking first place out of 29 teams.

Palisades won its pool to earn the No. 1 seed, knocked off City rival Taft in the first round of the playoffs and beat Calabasas 25-18 in the championship match.

“It was a really long day,” JV Coach Taylor Lowe said. “We went undefeated all the way through and the girls did great.”

Libero Emily Pappas and outside hitter Kiana Ferguson were named to the All-Tournament team. Rounding out the Dolphins’ squad were Katherine Kadeshian, Martina Gorum, Emma Sims, Jacqui Vogel, Abbey Kearney, Cienna Lagana, Sophie Rothenberg, Kelly Capuano, Maude Tipton, Wallis Ramsdell, Taylor Slutzker, Sienna Severino, Erin McMahon, Maddie Fowler and Chloe Pettigrew.