Defenses were usually able to respond when opposing hitters chose placement over velocity late Thursday night as Nipomo took on Grant in a CIF-Central high school volleyball match.

On the last two plays of the fourth set, Nipomo senior middle blocker Sara Soranzo and junior defensive specialist Emily Rubalcava decided to go all out. Their strategy paid off.

Van Nuys Grant defenders couldn’t handle a Soranzo kill attempt, and Soranzo put the Titans at match point. Then a hard line drive of a Rubalcava serve handcuffed a Lancers defender and ended the match.

No. 1 Nipomo scored a come-from-behind 3-1 win against No. 8 Grant in the quarterfinals of the Division 4 Southern Regional in the CIF state volleyball playoffs. Set scores were 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-21.

Nipomo (27-7) will face No.

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