VAN NUYS -- The El Camino Real boys volleyball team peaked at the perfect time.
The Royals took down top-seeded Venice in four sets, 25-21, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21, Saturday to win the LA City Section Open Division championship at Birmingham High School.
The win Saturday followed El Camino Real's big victory over reigning Open champion Chatsworth in the semifinals.
"They peaked at the right time, and that's what you want," said Royals coach Alyssa Lee. "You can't assume that a team is going to be improving exponentially the entire season. So I knew that even though they plateaued, and I knew their potential was still high, so I just needed them to kind of wake up, and they did at the end.
"And they really just doubled down on everything," she added. "And I think once we secured that semifinal win, they could taste like that win."
The high-energy Royals were lethal on the offensive end and played clean defense to clinch the program's second City title.
They were led by senior outside hitter Tyler Lee, who had 14 kills and a pair of blocks.
"We really came into this match thinking most of our team is seniors, so this is kind of our last game together," Lee said. "So we wanted to give it our all and make sure we get the dub."
El Camino Real's defense was everywhere and slowed down Venice's big attack, spearheaded by 6-foot-8 middle Nathan Hoggatt.
While a chunk of setter mistakes led to a carousel at the position for Venice, El Camino Real (27-13) was quick to block and dig nearly every ball and held the Gondoliers (36-6) to just six kills in the third game and eight in the second.
The Royals could do no wrong in the opening two sets. Opposite hitter Connor Koski had four of his 11 kills in each of the first two games. He registered the biggest point of his career later in the match.
Venice chased down El Camino Real several times in the third before igniting a 6-0 run to pull ahead 19-13 with backup setter Keyoki Ocampo serving.
The fourth set was similar and close throughout until Royals setter Ronan Varga sparked a late run with a service ace to put his team up 21-20.
El Camino Real charged to the finish line with a right-side kill from Lee before back-to-back blocks from Koski. The opposite and middle blocker Jackson Riepe stuffed the first attack for a 24-21 lead before Koski ended the night with a monster solo block on match point.
"That game point, that solo with Connor on there, he was just on that ball, and he was really aggressive," Alyssa Lee said. "And that's kind of what I stressed, was that we have to be aggressive in everything that we do, and we got to commit to the plays that we're making."
Koski totaled four blocks while Riepe added seven kills, two blocks and an ace. Outside hitter Christian Romero tallied eight kills and a block.
"As much as I would like to sit here and take all the glory, volleyball is a team sport," Tyler Lee said. "There's been days where I've been hitting the ball out, days where I can't get past the block. So it's really reaffirming to know that I've got teammates behind me that can get a kill, that can get a dig, that got my back when I can't do it."
Royals kills were tricky to come by with a big Venice block upfront and libero Justin Chen covering the majority of the back row.
Hoggatt finished with 13 kills while Venice senior Noah Smith posted a match-high 15 kills.
Lee acknowledged that she was unsure about her team's ability to finish the season in such a strong way.
"At the end of the league season, I thought we plateaued," Alyssa Lee said. "I was getting a little worried, because we plateau, and I expect teams to plateau sometime during the season. But this team, they play well when there's pressure and when they want it. When they want to play well, they'll play well."
El Camino Real battled a hefty amount of injuries this season, which cost the team plenty of matches and a chance at the West Valley League title. The Royals weren't able to dethrone Chatsworth in league but ended the Chancellors' shot of a three-peat in the City by sweeping them in the semifinals.
"Our coach really believed in us," Tyler Lee said of being able to beat Chatsworth, "and I think that's what really took it for us. As much as we really wanted to win, we always had that kind of doubt, because we never beat them before. But our coach was really on it, making a game plan, encouraging us, talking us up. And the night before, just really encouraging us to go out and get it versus them."
El Camino Real will continue its season in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs that begin Tuesday, May 20.