LA QUINTA — There was a celebration for the six seniors on the La Quinta High School volleyball tram Tuesday night.

The Blackhawks honored the players in pre-game ceremonies with gifts, individual cakes and flowers, but the best present they received was when coach Ronda Sommaripa decided to play every senior for the majority of the game and each one contributed to the 25-16, 25-17, 25-18 triumph against Cathedral City.

“I was going to sub them in, but they were all playing so well together,” said Sommaripa, whose team closes out the regular season with a key game against Palm Desert on Thursday. “Some of them had their best game of the year.”

It was a big game as well with second place riding on the outcome. La Quinta is 7-2 in the Desert Valley League and needed a victory against the Lions to hold that spot. A victory against the Aztecs would give La Quinta the solo second seed in the playoffs behind current unbeaten Palm Springs.

“It added pressure but at the same tine we were so excited to play together for the last time,'' said Victoria Ramos, who was strong on the floor and on serve. “It just brought out all of our greatness because we got along so well out there. For once we didn't think about DVL, it was just us playing together for the last time.”

La Quinta never trailed in Game 1, utilizing the serve of Codi Covington, the defense of Jamey Braxton (13 digs) and the big hits from Tayler Foster (five kills, three blocks) and Ali Tuller (15 digs). Covington and junior Simone Henderson (13 kills, three blocks) were big on the block, but the Lions were able to catch up. Cathedral City tied it on big hits from Makenzie Lundquist and Bethanee Boggs and the setting of Katy Knutson.

After La Quinta broke the mid-game tie, it never trailed again.

The seniors had something to prove. Covington said they all started in the program together and wanted to go out in their final regular home game in a big way. This group has never missed out on the postseason.

“It was the last home game and we wanted to do well,” she said. “It was good for all of us to be able to play together.”

In Game 2, senior Alyssa Sanchez got the Blackhawks off to a solid start serving to 6-1 with two aces. The Lions, however, didn't fold and continued to fight with Veronica Carbajal keeping the Lions close and within two, 14-12. However, a couple of key tips from Tuller and big kills from Henderson allowed La Quinta to push through to 25-17.

Cathedral City (7-5, 4-5 DVL) came out strong to start Game 3 with Ashley Rawlings and Carbajal on serve and Scarlett Collett at the net, but Covington was able to knot it at 5-all and La Quinta started to climb back.

Tuller's four service points gave the Blackhawks a cushion, but the Lions responded again with Lundquist (10 kills, five digs, five aces) leading the charge. The Lions were able to tie it twice more, but with Covington serving again, La Quinta broke out for good and Tuller closed it out.

Now, the La Quinta seniors look for more.

“We're more prepared and we feel ready for Palm Desert,” said Ramos. “We don't want to say we feel confident, but we're going to play as a family.”

Added Covington: “We know they're gonna put up a fight and we can't downplay that.”