Palisades Notches Win in Duel With El Camino Real

It was like a scene out of “High Noon” with two gunslingers, El Camino Real High’s Jessica Dinaberg and Palisades’ Sarah Schroeder, facing off Wednesday night with a berth in Friday’s City Section 4-A Division girls’ volleyball final the prize.

And when the shoot-out had ended, Schroeder and the host Dolphins remained standing with a 15-11, 15-11, 15-7 victory.

Dinaberg finished with a match-high 26 kills in 51 attempts, but the 5-foot-11 junior and her teammates were left without ammunition after trying to weather a strong serving barrage by Schroeder and Palisades (14-2).

Schroeder’s powerful serves produced three aces and 18 points.

It marked the fourth time in Lori Chandler’s seven years as El Camino Real coach and the third year in a row that Palisades had ended El Camino Real’s season. The last two years, the Dolphins defeated the Conquistadores in the 4-A final.

“It’s very, very, very frustrating to get knocked out by them each year,” Chandler said. “One of these years, we’re going to beat them.”

El Camino Real (12-4) built an 8-6 lead in the first game behind 12 kills by Dinaberg before Schroeder turned the momentum around with a five-point run that put the Dolphins ahead, 11-8.

Schroeder served for six straight points in Game 2 to give Palisades an 8-0 lead.

In the third game, Schroeder triggered a four-point run that gave Palisades a 5-3 lead en route to the sweep.