Vista Murietta High School put an end to the girls’ volleyball squad’s impressive season, defeating the Cougars in the Division I State Finals in Orange County on November 22.

Campolindo kept the match close however, committing fewer unforced errors compared to their opponents.

The Cougars actually won the 1st set 25-20, before dropping the next 3 sets 28-30, 22-25, and 21-25.  The turning point came in the 2nd set, where Campolindo was up 24-20, but then faltered as Vista Murietta came from behind to win.

This was the 1st appearance in the state title game for the Cougars since 2012.

According to junior Kate Dendinger, the team’s film study session prior to the match was helpful. “I think we were prepared for the game which helped us prioritize some of their stronger hitters” said Dendinger.

Coach Dave Chen believed his squad was well prepared for their opponent. “These girls know [Vista Murrieta] better than they know themselves,” said Chen.

A number of Campolindo students made the trek to Southern California to support the squad. Sophomore Angela Devine said, “Our fans are awesome. There were way more Campo students than I thought would come and it kind of felt like we were in our home gym because of that.”

The state title game provided a climax for a long season for the Cougars. “It was very emotional after the loss. We have been through so much together, and I am really going to miss this team,” said Dendinger.

During the post-game press conference, reporters were eager to talk to senior and UCLA commit Audrey Pak as well as junior libero Brianna Lee, who both played well.

Though disappointed with the outcome, junior Laura Studebaker believed her team “played a good game and left it out on the court.”