PALO ALTO >> In a thrilling girls volleyball championship match that went down to the wire, No. 3 seed Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton upset No. 1 Harbor 25-20, 25-14, 21-25, 27-29, 15-13 to claim the Central Coast Section Division IV title at Gunn High on Saturday.

“I think this is what a finals should be, just battling to the last second,” said Harbor head coach Matt Shutz.

The Gators, representing the West Bay Athletic League, entered the championship match having defeated Pacific Grove and Notre Dame Belmont in straight sets, respectively, in their first two CCS outings. Harbor, the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champion, had a five-set dog fight with Menlo and a four-set victory over Scotts Valley leading up to the CCS title match.

Fans from both schools enthusiastically supported their respective teams from the outset of the postseason thriller.

The Gators built an 18-14 lead in the first set, only to see the Pirates come back to score the next three points, which prompted a SHP timeout.

Whatever head coach Allison Magner told her team apparently worked. The Gators rattled off six straight points to take a 24-17 lead, and eventually won the set 25-20.

Harbor appeared to regroup in the second set, and jumped out to a 3-0 lead. But the Gators stormed back, thanks in part to powerful net play by junior Poema Uegligitone. SHP built a 16-5 lead, ultimately won 25-14 to take a 2-0 lead in sets.

“It felt great,” said Gators’ sophomore setter Kiley Megibben, of her team’s lead.

Though things appeared bleak for the Pirates, their bench showed no evidence of panic, nor quit.

“After losing the first two sets, we could have just given up but we didn’t,” said sophomore Dylan Shutz.

Led by senior libero Grace Stryker, who enthusiastically fired up her teammates to open Game 3, Harbor built an 18-12 lead. Thanks to kills by senior Isla Johnson and sophomore Cecile Novembre, the Pirates closed out the third set, 25-21.

In the most dramatic game of the evening, the Gators started the fourth set strong, led by freshman Leilah Abrams, who had several impressive kills. SHP built a 19-13 lead and appeared to be in control. The Gators held match point at 24-22, but Harbor won the next two points to even the score at 24-all.

Thanks to another impressive kill from Abrams, the Gators took a 25-24 lead, but Novembre tied the score again with a kill of her own.

Harbor finally took the lead 26-25 on a kill by senior Maren O’Farrell, but SHC produced another equalizer.

After an amazing rally featuring several impressive digs by both teams, Harbor took a 27-26 lead only to see the Gators pull even again. Thanks to a serving error by SHP, the Pirates took a 28-27 lead and Johnson hit the set clinching kill for a 29-27 Harbor victory, which evened the match at two sets apiece.

“We were down so many times but we just kept going, said Schutz, the coaches’ daughter. “We kept trusting ourselves.”

Added sophomore Gianna Fanara, “We really pushed ourselves to the fullest.”

The decisive fifth set, a race to 15 points, featured a back-and forth battle for the ages. SHP took the early lead at 4-1 only to see Harbor pull even at 6-all, thanks to a kill by sophomore Holly Rejfir. Harbor built on that lead, and went ahead 11-7, only to see the Gators score the next three points.

After a Harbor timeout, the Pirates took a 13-10 lead, only to see SHP score the next three points and tie the game at 13-13.

The Gators took a 14-13 lead on an ace from Abrams and finished off the marathon match to win 15-13.

“It was a roller coaster with so many emotions,” said Megibben, of the final set. “Down 13-10, there was a little bit of doubt but we pushed through it. We gave everything we had.”

The Gators celebrated, and Harbor was left to question what one play here or there might have made the difference.

Stryker, who was everywhere on the court for the Pirates, was among several emotional Pirates.

“At the end of the day, we really wanted it,” she said. “But I think this match will bring us together as a team. This isn’t the end of our season.”

The Pirates look to bring their fighting spirit into the upcoming CIF NorCal Regional playoffs. They were given the No. 14 seed in D-II and play at No. 3 Buchanan (26-12) in Clovis in the first round on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

“It’s on,” Stryker said. “This isn’t the end of our season, this isn’t the end of us. I think we can prove so much more as a team. We have that emotion, that love for the game.”

Sacred Heart Cathedral 3, Soquel 0

PALO ALTO — The top-seeded Fightin’ Irish earned a 25-15, 25-15, 25-15 sweep of the No. 3 Knights to win the CCS D-III title on Saturday at Gunn High.

SHC, competing in the D-III final for a third straight year, earned its second title in three seasons and 11th overall. The Fightin’ Irish finished fourth in the West Catholic Athletic League.

The Knights, the runner-up in the SCCAL, were seeking their fifth section title overall and first since 2021.

“The girls played hard, it just wasn’t our day,” Knights coach Jake Lee said. “We had a long week, going to four sets Tuesday and five on Thursday, with the game Thursday having some of the longest rallies I have ever seen. … and that’s a really good team.”

Senior Claire Petersen had 10 of Soquel’s 24 kills and made 10 digs. Senior Sadie Holden had six kills and nine digs for the Knights. Sophomore Katy Eze had three kills and two blocks

Knights seniors Gianna Audisio and Lily Juarez-Sapone, and sophomores Mia Riddle and Gemma Reyes each made five digs. Juarez-Sapone had 14 assists, Riddle had four assists, and Audisio had two.

“The team came out and did all of the basics right,” SHC coach Symone Mackiewicz said. “There was a calm about the entire team that turned into confidence once the match started. There were a few errors that were quickly fixed and, overall, the team did a great job moving forward and earning as many points as possible each time we had the ball.”

Senior outside hitters Livy Tangaan and Sofie Daters each had nine kills for SHC. Freshman middle blocker Caira Tasi made seven blocks. Junior setter Doris Cheung had 16 assists. Tangaan had 18 digs, and junior libero Madi Mullins had 12 digs.

“Livy and Sofie did a phenomenal job on the outside,” Mackiewicz said. “And our setters, junior Doris Cheung and sophomore Cali Tangaan, fed the right hitters at the right time.”

Soquel was given the No. 8 seed for the CIF NorCal Regional D-IV playoffs and host No.9 Vintage (16-16) of Napa on Tuesday at 6 pm.

Sentinel Sports Editor Jim Seimas contributed to this report.