GIRLS' CITY SECTION VOLLEYBALL: TAFT GETS REVENGE, WINS TITLE TOREADORS BEAT PIRATES FOR CITY CHAMPIONSHIP.

Byline: IVAN OROZCO Staff Writer

EAGLE ROCK -- Arman Mercado held the expression on the tip of his tongue for one year.

``Practice on Monday'' were the words the Taft High of Woodland Hills coach finally spat out Friday night after the Toreadors swept San Pedro 25-19, 25-17, 25-21 at Occidental College to win the City Section girls' volleyball championship.

The Toreadors had long awaited to avenge losing last year's City championship to the Pirates and hear Mercado tell his team it will need to be at practice Monday to prepare for the state playoffs.

Taft will know its next opponent Sunday after the state bracket is released.

Mercado had made six trips to the City championship, four times coaching the boys and twice with the girls, before winning his first in dominant fashion against the two-time defending champion Pirates.

A hoard of Taft fans ran onto the court, lifted, then carried Mercado on their shoulders while chanting, ``Mer-ca-do, Mer-ca-do, Mer-ca-do.''

Mercado smiled and lifted the City championship plaque he had long awaited over his head.

``I am looking at all the alumni,'' Mercado said. ``All my alumni and the people who lost the City final and even the people that didn't make it. I wouldn't be here because of them. All the little things I learned every single semester, every year, I put it all together and it worked tonight.

``I felt we were playing six against one with the exception of (San Pedro's) Alex Bubica (nine kills). My team was just built to beat this team tonight -- 365 days we took care of business.''

The Toreadors' seventh-year coach put the match in outside hitter Savannah Thomas' hands.

The outside hitter didn't disappoint her coach.

Thomas took over the third game with serving and precise hitting.

Thomas finished the night with a team-leading 15 kills despite making key errors early in the match. Kaiyana Johnson added 10 kills for the Toreadors, including the match-winner.

``It was relieving,'' Thomas said. ``I am glad he was putting it in my hands but at the same time I had to worry about my mental game, this and that.''

The Pirates were kept off balance by Taft's serving.

Terry Soltani raked in five of the Toreadors' 12 aces. Fallon Shah accounted for three.

San Pedro stayed close in the first two games.

The Pirates started the second game leading 7-3 but unforced errors and the serving of Shah and Soltani put the Toreadors ahead by three following a 7-0 run.

Taft trailed only once the rest of the match, losing the first point of the third game.

``Everything bad that ever happened in the past is all gone,'' Soltani said. ``It feels like a dream right now. I feel numb.''

Pirates coach Craig Tagler wasn't surprised by Taft's outing.

``They came ready to play,'' Tagler said. ``We came out a little flat against the wrong team. If they come out flat against us we probably would have done the same thing to them. It's too bad we only get to play for (the title) once.''

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Taft High players celebrate after winning the City Section championship against San Pedro on Friday at Occidental College.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News