Corwin Garber

Even though the team was held together mainly by underclassmen, it managed to break school and Central Coast Section records with the help of senior captains Marissa Florant and Cassie Prioleau.

With 34 wins, the longest public school winning streak in Central Coast Section history, the Palo Alto High School Varsity volleyball team was ranked second in CCS.

They had their first loss against the number one team in the nation, Archbishop Mitty High School.

The match, at Independence High School on Nov. 21, only went to three sets, with Mitty dominating the first two.

It was not until the third set that the Vikings picked up their game and gave Mitty a run for their money.

"I wish we hadn't been so nervous at first when we were playing Mitty," senior co-captain Cassie Prioleau said. "Everyone came out really intimidated and by the time we just started playing our game, it was too late."

The third game set the tone of the match. In the first few minutes, Mitty was up.

But Paly was not far behind and consistently scored. The score went back and forth until both Paly and Mitty were tied 24-24.

The final game point went in Mitty's favor, making them the CCS Division II 2009 champions.

Only three days prior to the Vikings' loss, the team defeated Presentation High School in the CCS semi-finals. The match ended up becoming a five setter.

"It was a really intense and long game, and we were basically fighting for the continuation of our season," Prioleau said.

The team's strong blockers and off-the-charts offense enabled them to finish on top. On Nov. 14, the Vikings swept Aragon High School in the CCS quarter finals.

The Vikings took the lead early in the first game and did not stop until they won the match.

On Nov. 24, the Vikings drove down to Chico, Calif. where they took on Pleasant Valley High School in the first round of the Northern California championships. The Vikings captured an easy win against Pleasant Valley.

"It wasn't our best performance, but a win is a win," sophomore Maddie Kuppe said.

Junior Trina Ohms played a significant role in the team's success .

"Ohms had some amazing serving streaks," Prioleau said.

Along with Ohms, sophomore Melanie Wade contributed to the team's plays with her blocks in the front row. As a sophomore, Wade has helped the Vikings' defense greatly.

The win advanced them to the Nor-Cals semi-finals game. On Nov. 28, the Vikings played against St. Francis High School Sacramento, sadly losing in four difficult and draining games.

The Vikings won only the second, giving St. Francis the other three.

"We didn't play our best game, but I think we are the better team" Prioleau said.

The Vikings were the favored team, but because of their lack of intensity and on-the-ball playing they lost, bringing their record-breaking season to a disappointing end.

"It was a difficult loss, not because we lost the match, but because we didn't play our best and that's how we ended our season," Kuppe said.

The abrupt ending to the season came as a surprise to the entire team.

Although the team was held together mainly by underclassmen, they were able to break the CCS public school record for most wins in a season, as well as win three tournament championships, another Paly record.

Florant was recently named by the San Jose Mercury News the "top player of the season," along with DeAnza 1st Team All-League. Ohms was awarded with 1st Team All-League, and Kuppe with 2nd Team All-League.

"It was an amazing season," Prioleau said. "No one expected us to do as well as we did."

Paly's team has relied on its underclassmen players to make an impact this season, and the strategy has proved effective.

Among the team are Kuppe and sophomore Kimmy Whitson

Whitson's first year on varsity has made quite an impact on the team.

"She rose to the level of play very quickly and was really a huge part of our team," Prioleau said.

Only one year ago, Whitson was an opposite on junior varsity, but is now one of the top setters on the roster. She not only made an impact on the team's offense and defense, but was also awarded with 2nd Team All-League.

"Its extremely difficult to be a setter," Kuppe said. "Kimmy not only led us to another DeAnza title, but also helped us break several records"

Despite the loss of Florant, Prioleau and team manager senior Kristen Dauler, the team plans to carry on the strong Paly tradition.

Ohms and junior Megan Coleman will lead the team for the 2010 season, according to Prioleau.

"Both players have a lot of experience on varsity and have really helped the team this year both offensively and defensively," Prioleau said.

The Vikings' season came to a surprising end. Their seasons' accomplishments outshine any disappointment.

The coaching staff included head coach David Winn and assistant coaches Jason Blomgren, Mike Huang and Andrew Lin.

Each member of the coaching staff contributed greatly to the impressive success of the teams' past season.

"The coaching is really consistent," Florant said. "I have played for Winn for three years in a row now and I think our record and league titles speak for themselves, four league titles in four years is pretty remarkable."

When asked about this past season, Florant reflected on her own personal experiences and friendships she made during the previous season, and four years on the Paly team.

"I'm going to take away the relationships I have made with my teammates," Prioleau said. "I will miss the girls the most, and representing Paly."

In addition, when asked about the season, Prioleau reflected on her own experiences this past season.

"I've learned to never give up," Prioleau said. "This season we proved that there is no situation that we can't come back from."

The Vikings underclassmen have big shoes to fill for the next 2010 season.

"Enjoy evrey second of every season," Florant said.

Only losing three seniors, the 2010 lady Vikings are sure to have a rock solid season.