Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Laguna Beach hits bump on road to playoffs
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Boys volleyball notes: Breakers' hopes for a high seed dealt a blow with loss to Calvary Chapel.
OCVarsity.com
Laguna Beach had a No. 3 ranking in CIF-SS Division II and matches against league opponents to close out the season. All signs headed toward a top seed in the playoffs.
A Calvary Chapel team with seven victories did not figure to produce a fork in the road.
“We hadn't beaten them in at least 14 matches,” Eagles boys volleyball coach Chris Spurgin said after his team's five-game victory against Laguna Beach this past Tuesday. “We know we're underdogs. (But) our guys like playing without pressure.”
It was Laguna Beach's first defeat in the two-year-old Orange Coast League. Spurgin said that streak ended because his team played “inspired” volleyball, led by Cameron Karkut's 32 assists, Micah Sherman's 23 kills and Nathan Trodahl's 13 digs.
Not that long ago Calvary Chapel nearly went oh-for-March, as three of its starters were out because of injuries. The Eagles opened league with consecutive defeats to the Breakers, both in four games. Both teams then went unbeaten, with Laguna Beach winning every game.
“They haven't had to play a five-game match in league,” Spurgin said. “It was a little bit of an eye opener for them.”
For everyone. The Breakers beat Corona del Mar and San Clemente earlier this season, and nearly beat Newport Harbor. The latter two are Division I teams, making Corona del Mar the only other only supposed county challenger in the Division II playoffs.
The roads might have changed on that map.
Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com
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