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The Palo Alto girls' volleyball kept its remarkable winning streak alive and added to another streak by winning its fourth straight SCVAL De Anza Division title with a 21-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-11, 15-13 victory over visiting Los Gatos on Thursday night.

Paly improved to 11-0 in league (27-3 overall) with its school record-breaking 25th consecutive triumph. Los Gatos, which needed a victory to force a regular-season co-championship, fell to 8-2 (21-9).

"I'm at a loss for words as to how our girls pulled it out tonight," said Paly coach Dave Winn. "Gatos was playing some of their best volleyball in the first two games and we just couldn't put enough balls away. We got inspired efforts from everyone on the court . . . The key was our dominating fourth-game win, which put the wind back in our sails. And, down 13-10 in the fifth, Megan Coleman performed some amazingly clutch tough serving and digging to seal the match with an ace."

The final ace seemed appropriate as Palo Alto has aced all but one De Anza Division team. The Vikings have one final match, next Thursday at home against Saratoga, standing in the way of a perfect league season. That will be Senior Night for the Vikings. Before that happen, Paly will compete at Spikefest II in Milpitas on Saturday.

The Vikings will have to regroup in a hurry after its exciting comeback victory against second-place Los Gatos. Senior Marissa Florant led the way with 20 kills, sophomores Maddie Kuppe and Melanie Wade added 13 and 10, respectively, and junior Trina Ohms contributed nine.

Florant sparked the do-or-die Game 3 comeback to prevent Paly from losing the match and the outright title. Paly had to battle back from deficits of 19-14 and again at 23-21 in the third game, with Florant taking over and leading a closing four-point rally. Florant combined with the 6-foot-5 Wade on a block, Los Gatos hit wide, and then Florant hit back-to-back winners to take the game.

Palo Alto grabbed the momentum from that important game and raced to a 10-1 lead in Game 4, setting up the final showdown in Game 5. Los Gatos, however, pulled ahead at 12-8 and again at 13-10, but the Wildcats served long and then Coleman took over. She served an ace for a 13-12 match, Los Gatos returned a serve long for 13-13 and Ohms spiked a winner for a 14-13 lead. Coleman finally settled things with a hard serve for an ace and the celebration began.

In another SCVAL De Anza Division match Thursday, Gunn (0-10, 12-19) dropped a 25-22, 25-22, 25-22 decision to visiting Homestead. Senior Teresa Skelly had 18 kills and sophomore Julia Maggioncalda added 12 kills.

In the PAL Bay Division, Menlo-Atherton (10-3, 18-7) solidified second place with one regular-season match remaining following a 17-25, 25-23, 25-20, 20-25, 17-15 victory over visiting Aragon on Thursday.

Regina Mullen led the important victory with 17 kills and 13 digs while Katelyn Doherty was right there with 12 kills and 17 digs. Sophia Cornew produced 44 assists and 20 digs while Hannah Branning added 26 digs and Diane Seely produced 11 kills and five blocks for the Bears.

In the West Bay Athletic League (Foothill Division), Menlo School saved two match points, scoring the last four points of the match to defeat Harker in San Jose Thursday night, 28-26, 13-25, 25-15, 20-25, 16-14. The Knights improved to 3-5 in league (10-16 overall) while Harker fell to 0-8 in the division.

Menlo senior Elizabeth Augustus had career highs of 30 digs and six aces, and junior Allie Frappier recorded 16 kills and 14 digs, including six kills in the decisive fifth game. Senior Sarah Rosales added eight kills and seven digs, sophomore Natalie Roy had 13 digs and senior Mila Sheeline had 10 digs.

Freshman setter Alexandra Ko finished with 11 digs and a great night at the service line. She served 10 consecutive points to blow open the third game and, after Menlo saved its first match point at 12-14 in the fifth, Ko went back to the line and served three tough balls to help close out the match.

In addition to saving two match points in the comeback from 12-14 in the fifth game, the gutty Knights also rallied from a 20-24 deficit, saving four points to take the first game.

-- PA Weekly Online Sports