It only seemed fitting that Port Of Los Angeles High girls volleyball would have to go through three sets of torture to get their third consecutive Crosstown League championship.

Falling behind in each of the three sets, the Polar Bears would battle back behind tough serves and overall team scrappiness to somehow eek out a 25-22, 25-18, 26-24 sweep of visiting Foshay Learning Center of Los Angeles at Peck Park. In fact, the Wolverines had game point in the third set and were dangerously close to forcing a fourth set, where anything particularly could happen.

However, it took a kill from senior middle blocker Savana Ramirez, followed by a net violation and a lift violation against Foshay to seal the victory, and the league championship for POLA (13-8-1 overall, 10-1 league).

"It's a bittersweet feeling for me," says POLA senior setter Maria Mohan, a four-year veteran who has been a part of all three league championship teams. "I'm proud to be able to say we won the league championship three times in a row, but more than that I'm happy to say each year I was able to play with my volleyball family. It's sad to leave everyone next year."

Mohan got the match started off right with a booming service ace, and POLA would stake themselves to an early lead before the Wolverines (9-4, 8-3) stormed back and took a 19-13 lead. However, the serving of senior libero Vanessa Enriquez took over.

Enriquez served eight consecutive points, including four aces, to give the Polar Bears a 21-19 lead, then they held off Foshay down the stretch thanks to kills from Mohan, junior middle blocker Makayla Warth and an ace by freshman Areelle Navarro to claim the first set.

In the second set, Foshay was in command early and led 15-10, but this time it was the serving of senior opposite hitter Tiffany Torres that propelled POLA. Torres had five aces during this latest comeback, and then it was the serving and all-around play of senior outside hitter/setter Kellen McMurry that finished off the Wolverines.

"I'm not surprised at all by these two serving aces," Mohan said of both Enriquez and Torres. "Both provide the team with personality and energy along with  some of the toughest serves that we have."

Mohan was no slouch herself, as she had six aces, several of which during the third set that continuously kept POLA in it, along with clutch kills from Ramirez. A booming ace by McMurry put POLA up 21-19 in what was a back-and-forth third set, but the Wolverines again put them in a grinder by battling to take a 24-23 lead, and seemed primed to push the Polar Bears to a fourth set.

Yet, POLA was unnerved and eventually held on for the sweep.

"I thought it really showed the team's ability to dig deep and focus our strategies on playing as a unit," Mohan said. "And that helped us win today."

Mohan (8 assists) and McMurry (12 assists) spreaded the ball around for 20 combined assists, while Ramirez led POLA with seven kills. McMurry had six kills, Warth and Torres each had four kills, while Mohan had three kills. The serving of POLA was also crucial, as they piled up 24 aces, led by Torres' seven aces. Mohan had six aces, while Enriquez (8 digs) and McMurry each had five aces.

"I am so excited to see the ball being put away, especially today," Mohan said of the balanced effort by POLA as a whole. "It really set the tone and confidence of the whole team so whenever I can distribute the ball to each for equal kills."

POLA still has one more match at Bright Star of Los Angeles Wednesday, but their league title is secure.