Pacifica Christian Orange County boys’ volleyball able to close out Samueli Academy
The Pacifica Christian Orange County High boys’ volleyball team made the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs in its first year of eligibility last season.
The Tritons will make another postseason appearance this year, having locked up third place in the San Joaquin League.
Playoff berths in back-to-back years show a certain level of success, but if the Tritons want to be a threat in CIF, the players realize that they must develop a killer instinct.
On Monday, the Tritons let a two-set lead slip away in a loss to Orangewood Academy.
Pacifica Christian jumped in front again in Wednesday’s nonleague match against Samueli Academy, and this time, the Tritons were able to come away with a 25-15, 30-28, 18-25, 25-15 win.
“I think we’re starting to learn that you haven’t won until the game is over,” senior outside hitter Josh Griffith said. “I think we need to be more aggressive in the third game.
“We need to learn how to win. We need to play to win. Don’t try not to lose and play to win.”
Griffith had a team-high 15 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Josh Sims added 11 kills, with 10 of those coming in the first two sets.
The Firewolves (8-6) took control of the play in Game 3, riding the powerful strikes of middle blocker Alejandro Luviano. He had 15 kills, three service aces and three blocks in the match.
“I think that it was just a mental error of taking for granted the wins that we just had and giving it to the other team,” Tritons coach Tommy Murphy said. “It was our unforced errors that gave them that third game.”
Sure enough, the Tritons (10-10) bounced back with improved consistency in the fourth set. Evan Nordstrom provided solid serving as Pacifica Christian rattled off nine consecutive points to take a 13-3 lead in Game 4.
“Our coaches talked with us, and they said, ‘Remember what happened Monday. We can’t let that happen again,’” junior setter Caleb Snider said.
Snider added that the team as a whole began to take responsibility for its miscues, working together instead of pointing out the individual mistake.
Snider had 29 assists, with 11 of those coming in the pivotal second set. The Tritons took a two-set lead when Kyle Barnard and Snider teamed up on a block to win the set 30-28.
The playoff brackets come out on Friday.
“I think we have high hopes,” Murphy said. “We’re excited to find out who we play and go as far as we can.”
Twitter: @ProfessorTurner
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