GOING TO FINALS: Newport Harbor beat Santa Margarita, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16, on Wednesday. The Sailors will play Mira Costa at the CIF-SS Division I finals on Saturday. In this file photo, Max Volz, JB Green and Kyle Caldwell celebrate after Newport Beach beat San Clemente in the quarterfinals. FILE PHOTO BY KEN STEINHARDT |
Newport Harbor arrives ready, sweeps into finals
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Volleyball playoffs: Led by Caldwell, top-seeded Sailors overpower Santa Margarita.
It began with the seniors. Setter Kyle Caldwell and opposite hitter Tucker Peleuses were the first two players to step into the Newport Harbor gym Wednesday Night. Their coach having already tied the net, Caldwell set up the referee stands and Peleuses put the padding on the posts.
“The last time they did that was their freshman year,” Sailors boys volleyball coach Danny Glenn said. “I laughed but I didn't say anything to those guys. When I saw that I had a good feeling.”
It was the final home match for the co-captains, whose teams had fallen short in years past, but are advancing after beating Santa Margarita, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16, in their CIF-SS Division I semifinal.
No. 1 seed Newport Harbor (31-3) plays No. 2 seed Mira Costa (31-5) in the final at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
“We've played well in the playoffs but not like this,” Glenn said, seemingly overwhelmed after sweeping the No. 4 seed in less than an hour.
Caldwell took charge in Game 1, confusing Santa Margarita around the net by alternating between passes, tips and spikes. The Eagles hung around but were derailed by five service errors.
They had five more in Game 2, but the play of Sailors' outside hitter Mark Liebermann was more damaging. He had four kills and, with the game tied, 19-19, two aces to lead a four-point run. He had two more kills and a block early in Game 3 as the Sailors jumped out to a 7-1 lead that was never challenged.
“I've been waiting for this team to explode,” Glenn said.
Liebermann finished with eight kills and four blocks and middle blocker Max Volz had nine kills.
Three weeks ago Glenn arrived early at the Bren Center to film Santa Margarita play Woodbridge. Although someone took the bag his camera was in, Glenn said he did not forget what he saw from the Eagles and Steven Shandrick.
The Sailors effectively avoided the 6-6 middle blocker, while opposite hitter Tanner Jansen had 13 kills for the Eagles (5-33), who uncharacteristically struggled to pass and return serves.
“They just put the pressure on the whole match,” Santa Margarita coach Jeff Uhrig said. “We were just on our heels.”
In Division II:
Santa Barbara 3, Corona del Mar 2: Jeff Carlson had 22 kills for the Sea Kings (26-7), but the host Dons (29-4) took the final two games to win, 16-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-17, 19-17.
In Division V:
Salesian 3, Brethren Christian 0: Ben Hammond had 27 kills for the host Warriors (15-5), but the Mustangs (24-0) swept, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22.
Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com
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