Ripon Christian run ends at 5 titles

DAVIS -- Ripon Christian's bid for a sixth straight section title came up short.

Second-seeded Bear River won its first championship since 1991 with a 25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23 win over the fourth-seeded Knights Thursday night at UC Davis in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 final.

Ripon Christian had won the last five Division 5 championships, but was moved up to Division 4 this year.

Bear River took control of the first game early, jumping out to a 10-1 lead. The Bruins rode the hot hand of senior outside hitter Sara Schell all night.

The Knights charged back in the opening game with a run of seven straight points that cut Bear River's lead from nine points to 20-18. Ripon Christian eventually lost the first game, but used the momentum to win Game 2.

Ripon Christian senior Kristy Van Diver came up with big kills on the left side to help the Knights keep the momentum. Brittany Petlansky also came up with some big swings and Kaylie Colyn delivered some key serves.

However, the Bruins were the more consistent team on this night. The Knights surrendered too many Bear River runs. Case in point: The nine straight points the Bruins scored in Game 3 to jump out to an 11-5 lead. Bear River never surrendered control of the third game.

The final game went back and forth as the Knights fought to extend the match. Every time Ripon Christian took a lead, the Bruins found a way to storm right back with runs of four and five points.

Ripon Christian worked its way to a 23-22 lead after a kill by Stephanie Vande Pol, but the Bruins ended the match with three straight points to end their section title drought.

Both teams will advance to the Northern California playoffs next week.

Division 5

• WOODLAND CHRISTIAN 3, LE GRAND 0 — The Bulldogs started slow and it cost them in a 25-13, 25-19, 25-20 loss to the Cardinals in Le Grand's first-ever finals appearance. Savanna Barnett led Le Grand (16-7) with 12 kills and Kinsey Haas added 20 digs.

Division 6

• TURLOCK CHR. 3, VALLEY CHR. 1 — The Eagles (18-15) won their first section title since 2006 with a 25-8, 23-25, 25-13, 25-20 win. Turlock Christian was led by the strong play of Sarah Amaral and the serving of Anna Larson.

"Sarah really stood out for us tonight," Turlock Christian coach Ken Wynne said. "When she's on, we're on. She wasn't just a hitter tonight, she passed well too."