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Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball winning streak snapped by Poly

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A winning streak that was part of four straight Prep League titles ended Wednesday afternoon for the Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball team.

For the first time since 2014, the Rebels dropped a league contest, 21-25, 25-15, 25-17, 27-25, to host and archrival Pasadena Poly.

The loss not only ended a run that began in the sophomore campaign of two-time All-Area Boys’ Volleyball Player of the Year Dante Fregoso, but also muddied league title implications.

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Flintridge Prep (16-3, 6-1 in league) already clinched a share of its fourth straight league title before Wednesday. However, the Rebels may now need to defeat Firebaugh in Tuesday’s season finale to take the title outright with Poly (8-9-1, 4-2) still having an outside shot at sharing the crown.

The loss, coupled with his team’s effort, did not sit well with Flintridge Prep Coach Sean Beattie.

“On senior night, Poly had a lot of energy, a big crowd and they were excited and they played with a lot of intensity and we didn’t,” Beattie said. “Poly put up a big block and we were having trouble getting around that block and that caused us to get frustrated and make mistakes.”

The Rebels certainly had their opportunities to force a fifth game.

A block from Flintridge Prep’s Jake Althouse (five kills and five blocks) of Poly’s Matt Alison gave the Rebels a 24-23 advantage in the fourth set. Yet, that was followed by a service error.

Again, Flintridge Prep reached game-point on a Panthers’ attacking error only to miss closing out after a kill from Alison, who finished with a match-high 15 kills, knotted the score at 25.

The Panthers’ point was one of three straight that ended with a kill from James Olson, which secured the 27-25 victory.

“The guys have really been coming together as a team and they’ve been playing with an enthusiasm that gives them confidence on the court,” Poly Coach Jack Prater said. “To beat Prep, who’s been dominating the league for a long time, we couldn’t have done it without our five seniors.”

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As for the third set, it turned on a couple of questionable calls.

The Rebels trailed, 12-11, and had a spike from Bruce Dennis blocked by a Poly player off the antenna. What should have been a Flintridge Prep point went instead to the Panthers as the second referee ruled Dennis’ attempt hit the antenna first.

Three possessions later, a serve from Alison that the line judge was unsure of was ruled inbound by the first referee, which gave Poly a 15-12 lead.

“Those [calls] affect an emotional team and we’re an emotional team,” Beattie said. “It’s one of those things where you can’t teach that. We’re a team that rides on highs and on lows, as well, and it frustrated us and we’re not a good team frustrated.

Flintridge Prep was out of sorts in a second game in which the Rebels surrendered 14 of the first 21 points and fell, 25-15.

In the first set, the Rebels raced to a 21-13 lead before winning, 25-21, on a kill from Majeed Ismail, who finished with eight kills and four blocks.

Jonny Samuels and AJ Nicassio shared the Rebels’ lead in kills with 13, while libero Leo Riley finished with 25 digs.

Senior Richard Berry added 14 kills for Poly, which defeated Flintridge Prep for the first time since 2012.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports

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