ONTARIO — Ontario Christian girls volleyball coach Paige Liebhart appeared to be the picture of calmness on the sideline.
What actually was happening inside was a different story.
Wednesday’s playoff match against Culver City was a rollercoaster of emotions internally for Liebhart. The Knights dropped the first two sets and were six points from being swept off their home court. Then the improbable happened.
Ontario Christian went on a 7-0 run late in the third set and grabbed its first lead of the match. And the Knights rode that wave of momentum and pulled off an 18-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-13, 15-12 reverse sweep in a CIF Southern Section Division 5 quarterfinal.
“I was an emotional wreck. And I’m still shaking a little bit right now,” Liebhart said of her team pulling off the comeback win.
“But I can’t show that during a match. I have to carry those emotions for the team, because the way I handle things is how they are going to handle things out on the court. The kids always ask me, ‘Coach, you always look so calm, don’t you ever get nervous?’” I can’t tell them sometimes I’m just dying inside. Being that emotional center is what I can do for them.”
Avery Kunkel, Ontario Christian’s senior libero and co-captain, said Liebhart’s presence definitely has an impact.
“When things aren’t going well and she calls a timeout, we might come over shaking and a bit nervous,” Kunkel said. “But we just look at her and the emotions settle. She always knows the exact right things to say to us. She’s our rock.”
Ontario Christian (12-8) struggled to find any kind of offensive rhythm for the better part of three sets. But the back-row play of Kunkel and sophomore defensive specialist Serafine Rodriguez ultimately provided the spark the Knights desperately needed.
“They were outstanding from start to finish,” Liebhart said. “They kept balls alive until the offense got going.”
Kunkel was on the service line for that decisive run at the end of the third set. Her ace cut the deficit to 19-18, and a kill by junior opposite hitter Addison Culbert leveled the score. The Knights took their first lead following an attacking error by Culver City. Culbert had three more kills down the stretch to send the match to a fourth set.
The Knights dominated the fourth, as Culbert and junior outside hitter Isabella Trujillo combined for nine kills.
“I think we were a little nervous at the beginning and just needed to find a groove,” senior setter an co-captain Avery Van Horssen said about the offense finding footing in the latter stages of the match. “We played together and our energy kept on building up.”
The fifth set featured a few momentum swings as the teams traded mini-runs.
Culver City took a 7-6 lead after a kill by Anaiya Thornton. Liebhart called her first timeout and the Knights won four straight points to regain the lead. Culver City (15-12) staved off two match points, but senior middle blocker Shirley Ornelas denied an attempted tip shot by Amelia Sabatini to put the finishing touch on the Knights’ comeback victory and set off a wild celebration on the court.
“I kept telling them, “It’s not about you. It’s about the person next to you. Whatever they need, that’s what you need to give,” Liebhart said. “That really clicked with them. This group plays like family, and special things happened when you do that.”
Ontario Christian hosts Santa Barbara (19-14) in a semifinal match Saturday evening. Wednesday’s victory also means the program will return to the CIF State playoffs for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 2018-19.
“I’m happy for these girls, because none of them have been this far in the playoffs,” Liebhart said. “It was a real honor for us to be in Division 2 for a few years, but I’m glad these girls are getting to experience something like this.”
Culbert and Trujillo tied for the match high with 15 kills, while senior outside hitter Lilly Sampson added seven kills for the Knights. Ornelas, playing with a splint on her right hand and two fingers taped up, had three aces and five total blocks.
Thornton and Sabatini had 13 and 12 kills, respectively, to lead the way for Culver City.
