Boys’ Volleyball: CdM sweeps Monarchs
SANTA ANA — There’s usually no need for a coach to fire up Corona del Mar High whenever it plays Mater Dei in any sport. Top to bottom, the two schools are arguably the best in Orange County, CdM when it comes to public schools and Mater Dei for private schools.
Nevertheless, CdM boys’ volleyball coach Steve Conti provided some extra motivation prior to his team’s second-round match in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs at Mater Dei. He talked to the Sea Kings about how Mater Dei has stood in the way of CdM in a couple of sports recently, and all around him were prime examples.
One of Conti’s assistants is Steve Astor, the girls’ volleyball coach at CdM. Astor’s team has seen its season end in the CIF Southern Section Division 1AA playoffs because of Mater Dei the past two seasons.
Then there’s the handful of volleyball players who in December, when playing basketball at CdM, lost to Mater Dei in the semifinals of the CdM Beach Bash. During this time of the year, those players play for Conti, and they definitely had a say in who won the latest matchup between CdM and Mater Dei.
Ryan Moss led the way for No. 3-seeded CdM, finishing with 13 kills and six digs in a 25-22, 25-20, 25-14 sweep of the Monarchs on Thursday. The Sea Kings advanced to the quarterfinals for the fifth time in six years, and this one meant something to Conti.
The last time Conti brought CdM to Mater Dei for the playoffs was six years ago, when it lost in three sets in the second round. He hasn’t forgotten about it and he reminded his players about the setback.
“They were pretty young at the time,” Conti said, referring to his current players, “but we wanted them to know that there’s some history with this [Mater Dei] team.”
While CdM (26-6) took care of Mater Dei in three sets for the right to play host to Westlake (24-4) in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 7 p.m., the first two sets proved to be a challenge. Early on, the Sea Kings got a freebie.
Officials awarded the evening’s first point to CdM because of a uniform violation by Mater Dei (22-9). Conti said the numbers on the Monarchs’ jerseys were more than five inches below the bottom stitch of the collar.
“I particularly didn’t care to earn a point that way,” Conti said. “You’d like to have the players kind of determine the outcome, but at the same time, that’s the rule.”
The lead didn’t last long. The opening set featured eight ties, and it was close throughout.
With the set tied at 17-17, CdM created some distance after one of Augie Miller’s eight kills and freshman Denny Kouri missing wide three straight times. The Sea Kings went ahead, 21-17, and then Moss got involved late.
After struggling early on with a couple of net violations, Moss hit two winners, near the corner and back line. The USC-bound outside hitter had CdM at set point.
The Monarchs, who trailed, 24-19, made it close at the end of Game 1. Garrett Zolg set Jacob Lopez up for a kill, then Zolg, a lefty, dropped in a service ace, before finding Daniel Nguyen for a crosscourt winner. With the deficit at 24-22, the Monarchs’ mistake came on Lopez’s double contact violation, securing the first set for CdM.
The Sea Kings began Game 2 on fire, scoring the first five points. Three of those points came on blocks, Miller had a solo block on Sterling Miles, Matt Ctvrtlik stuffed Kouri, and Miller, and Ctvrtlik partnered up to turn away Drake Velasco.
Mater Dei fought back, catching CdM at 15-15. Then those players who lost to Mater Dei, 67-44, in basketball in December turned it on late. Ctvrtlik fed Moss, who delivered a crosscourt kill, and Kevin Fults blocked a shot by Joe Brown. Fults, an opposite bound for UC Santa Barbara, produced half of his four kills late and added an ace.
Sam Kobrine recorded a kill, and even Ctvrtlik, a junior setter who collected 29 assists, had a kill. Moss’ eighth kill sealed Game 2.
“A little sloppy to start,” Moss said. “[It was a] big gym, big game. It’s the playoffs. They came out with a lot of energy, but I felt we rebounded well. We finished strong.”