No. 3 Immanuel and top-seeded Ripon Christian went toe-to-toe for five sets Tuesday night, and when the dust settled, the visiting Eagles escaped with a 25-19, 11-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-11 win in the CIF State Girls Volleyball Division IV Northern Regional final.
Immanuel advances to the state championship game on Saturday against Capistrano Valley Christian at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.
“Losing is always sad,” Knights coach Kayla Kootstra said. “It’s disappointing. We have seven seniors on this team who have been an integral part of what we have done over the course of the last two years. They have been a huge part of our program, and the culture we have set here and it’s tough for them. They feel this, and they really wanted this win tonight.
“But I am so proud of what we have accomplished this season. I would guess if you asked people at the beginning of this season if we would be in this match, the answer would have been no. I think you have seen the growth, the determination, the perseverance and the character of who this team is and we just didn’t have enough tonight against a very good Immanuel team.”
Ripon Christian (24-12) bounced back from a first-set loss in resounding fashion, riding the hot serving hand of Tatum Sonke out to an 8-0 lead and never trailing. Haley Kootstra (nine kills, four blocks) helped force a fifth set for the Knights when she posted a kill followed by a resounding block to end the fourth set.
The fifth set was tied at 1-1, 3-3 and 4-4 before Immanuel (26-16) went on a 4-0 run. Back-to-back kills by Brynn Bohn (13 kills) brought Ripon Christian to within 10-8 but a net violation led to a 3-0 run by the Eagles of Reedley and the Knights could not close the gap.
“We had some low spots, for sure,” Immanuel coach Alyssa DenHartog said. “The second set was obviously super rough. I am super proud of them for coming back and battling back into it and resetting mentally and to be able to focus on the next play.”
A freshman, outside hitter Cami Chernekoff led the Eagles with 18 kills.
“She is doing phenomenally,” DenHartog said of Chernekoff. “It is going to be exciting to see what else she can do as she continues to grow over the next couple of years.
“It is super fun to have her.”
Lauren Mouw took care of the back row for Ripon Christian with 33 digs. Paige Van Hofwegen added 12 kills and 19 digs and Alanna Blanco dished out 40 assists with three aces.
