FALL SPORTS CLOSE-UP : Westlake Volleyball Team Throws Coach for a Loss

For Westlake Coach Dave Rubio, the girls volleyball season has been filled with surprises. First, he never expected his team, ranked No. 4 in the Southern Section 2-A preseason poll, to enter the weekend’s Calabasas tournament with a losing record.

And after watching his team struggle to a 2-3 record, he never expected the Warriors to advance to the final of the tournament.

“We’re so far ahead of my expectations, it’s almost scary,” Rubio said. “In retrospect, it was good to play those tough teams. We suffered a few bruises along the way, but it made my team tougher.”

Nordhoff, the defending Southern Section 3-A champion, cruised through the tournament and defeated Westlake in the final, 15-8, 15-4. Calabasas beat Louisville, 15-7, for third place. Nordhoff placed three players on the all-tournament team, along with Louisville’s Tina Kohler, Sandi Thomsen of Calabasas, and Westlake’s Dana Simone and April Devine.

To counter Nordhoff hitters Leeann Merriweather and Amy Skivhart, Westlake attempted more difficult serves and made several errors.

Said Rubio: “I knew they were a more consistent team than we were. I knew we’d have to serve tough. I was willing to accept those service errors.”