GOT IT COVERED: Newport Harbor's Kyle Caldwell, left, and JB Green team up to block a shot against San Clemente in the quarterfinals of the Division I playoffs. The Sailors won the match in four games. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER |
Newport Harbor too intense for San Clemente
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Volleyball playoffs: The top-seeded Sailors advance to the Division I semifinals.
NEWPORT BEACH When the Sunset and South Coast league boys volleyball champions met Friday night, it was Newport Harbor's consistency that wore down San Clemente.
The top-seeded Sailors defeated their South Coast rivals, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19, 25-16, in the CIF-SS Division I quarterfinals match. The Sailors (30-3) will face Santa Margarita in the semifinals Wednesday. It will be the first meeting of the season for the two teams.
We were going at 120 percent, and they were just playing at a steady pace, Tritons setter Arik Metzger said. We would be close, then they would just pull away.
San Clemente trailed, 18-17, in the opening game before the Sailors used a 7-1 run to close it out. In Game 2, the Tritons (22-7) pulled ahead, 10-9, and led the rest of the way.
We were a little nervous in Game 2, said Tucker Peleuses, who led the Sailors with 17 kills. It was good we lost (that game). We played with more fire. We knew they could play with us. They got hot. We started to spread it around after that.
The teams were tied at 13 in Game 3 when the Sailors used a 6-0 run to gain control.
Newport Harbor led by three in Game 4 when a 4-0 run opened it to 20-13.
It was nice to play with that intensity in the gym, Tritons coach Ken Goldstone said. I thought our ball control wasn't as good as theirs. You could really see it when they went on those runs.
It was the second consecutive season the Tritons were knocked out by the top seed.
The Sailors, who closed Game 4 with their best volleyball of the night, are looking to keep the momentum going.
Contact the writer: ctoboloski@ocregister.com
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