Div. 5A title slips away from Tarbut V’Torah

Tarbut V'Torah’s Shani Gabi leaps to hit the ball as St. Monica’s Rose Goodwin tries to block during game 3 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game at Rio Hondo College
Tarbut V'Torah’s Meskerem Taylor sets the ball for a teammate during game 2 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Parents and friends cheer as the Tarbut V'Torah girls volleyball team is introduced before the start of the match for the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
The Tarbut V'Torah girls volleyball team gather with their Head Coach Lucas Black and the CIF-SS Division 5A runner-up plaque at the end of their match with St. Monica 25-16, 25-21, 13-25, 17-25, 11-15 at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Lauren Cohen hits the ball over the net during game 1 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Meskerem Taylor digs the ball during game 4 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Rachael Aronoff slams the ball over the net during game 3 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Orlanne Hassan, left, Claire Cohen and Eliana Razin let their emotions set in at the end of game 5 after loosing to the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship to St. Monica 25-16, 25-21, 13-25, 17-25, 11-15 at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Shani Gabi leaps to block a shot from St. Monica’s Therese Boles during game 3 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Rachael Aronoff dives to dig the ball during game 4 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Lauren Cohen, left, Meskerem Taylor, Kyra Wyman and Sydney Zeve cheer after a hard earned point during game 4 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Kyra Wyman slams the ball over the net during game 2 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Parents and friends, including father of player Shani Gabi, Missin Gabi, arms up, right, cheer on the Tarbut V'Torah girls volleyball team during game 1 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Kyra Wyman dives for the ball during game 2 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Lauren Cohen hits the ball from the corner of the net during game 1 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Family and friends cheer on the Tarbut V'Torah girls volleyball team during game 1 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Meskerem Taylor saves the ball for a teammate during game 4 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game against St. Monica at Rio Hondo College.
Tarbut V'Torah’s Shani Gabi reaches to hit the ball past St. Monica during game 1 of the CIF-SS girls volleyball Division 5A championship game at Rio Hondo College.

November 21, 2015 at 11:45 p.m.

WHITTIER – After Tarbut V’Torah led two sets to none, St. Monica Academy of Montrose won three straight sets to defeat the Lions, 16-25, 21-25, 25-13, 25-17, 15-11, and win the CIF-SS Division 5A girls volleyball title in the championship match at Rio Hondo College on Saturday night.

Tied at two sets each, TVT (25-1) and St. Monica (23-4-2) played a furious fifth set. With four ties in the set, St. Monica broke the tie at 6-6 and outpaced TVT to a 15-11 win.

The first set was tight as the teams played to seven ties with the last at 10-10. From there, TVT took advantage of St. Monica errors and Lauren Cohen was a force as the Lions won, 25-16

In the second set, it was tight again early, but 11 St. Monica errors gave TVT a cushion. Claire Cohen came on strong with five kills and an ace to put TVT up 22-16 and 24-18 and win, 25-21

The tables turned in set three. After an 8-8 tie, it was a string of TVT errors that spurred St. Monica to a 16-4 run for a 24-12 lead. St. Monica won the game 25-13.

St. Monica rode the momentum into set four where it established an 8-0 lead. St. Monica maintained that lead until TVT fought off four set points, but St. Monica still won, 25-17, to force a deciding fifth set.