HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS : Harvard Loses to Arcadia in 3-A Volleyball Semifinal

Members of the Harvard volleyball team laid sprawled out on the court after the Saracens’ emotional 15-13, 15-11, 7-15, 15-10 loss to Arcadia in the semifinals of the Southern Section 3-A playoffs Thursday night at Brentwood High.

The players appeared to be dumbstruck, not just with the loss, but the way they took themselves out of the match by allowing Arcadia to get ahead so quickly.

Arcadia (15-3) advances to the championship Saturday night at Marina High in Huntington Beach and will play the winner of Thursday’s match between Bishop Montgomery and Loyola.

Harvard finishes its season 19-1. And the ease with which the Saracens accumulated their record, especially in the first-year Santa Fe League, might have cost them against Arcadia.

“At the beginning of the match, we had a very slow block,” Harvard middle blocker Mike Lowe said. “During the season, we didn’t face many teams that hit like they did. We didn’t have much competition in league and we never really had to block.”

Arcadia outside hitter Eric Zeutizus made Harvard pay for its slow start at the net with a match-high 18 kills. Zeutizus varied his placement of the ball and helped the Apaches to a two-game lead that took a lot out of Harvard.

“They hit smart,” Harvard Coach Mark Zalin said. “They didn’t try to crush every time. They varied their lines and angles and really played like a team.”

With Zeutizus’ hitting and middle blocker Matt Winslow (15 blocks) controlling the net, the Apaches built their lead.

Harvard came back to take the third game behind the hitting of John Shelton and Peter Andersons and the blocking of Lowe.

The comeback looked like it would continue during the fourth game until Arcadia resumed control with the score tied, 10-10.

With Brian Daly serving, fatigue began to get the best of the Harvard players, who hit three balls long and got blocked at the net to give Arcadia a 14-10 lead.

After exchanging sideouts, Ty Ernt came off the Arcadia bench to serve. Perry Carter’s kill gave the Apaches the match.

Andersons led Harvard with 17 kills and Lowe had 14 kills and four blocks.

SOFTBALL

Teams with good pitching dominated the first round of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs as all games involving area teams were decided by one run.

Christy Alves pitched a one-hitter and struck out five as Burroughs upset fourth-seeded Newbury Park, 1-0, in a first-round playoff game at Newbury Park.

Burroughs (20-3) scored its only run in the first inning. Barbara Hofer had a bunt single and scored on Kim Powers’ double to left center.

Alves (15-3) lost her bid for no-hitter when she gave up a single in the third.

Burbank was also the victim of good pitching in another first-round 4-A game. Nicky Luce (21-6) of Cypress threw a four-hitter and struck out three as Cypress beat Burbank, 2-1, at Burbank.

Cypress took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Nicky Lewis walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored when Kay Kupers’ single was misplayed by left fielder Laura Robinson. Cypress (21-6) added another run in the fourth when Kim Brodeur reached first on a fielder’s choice, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Laura Heim’s single.

Burbank (21-4) scored in the sixth when pitcher Debbie Day singled in Kym Bailey.

Molly Moore pitched a three-hitter and Thousand Oaks scored two unearned runs to defeat Hart, 2-1, in a 4-A first-round game at Hart. Thousand Oaks (20-8) scored in the second inning when Moore’s ground ball bounced off the shortstop’s glove. In the third, Angie Gregoire singled to center field and Amie Chellevold scored from second when the center fielder misplayed the ball.

Desa Pecel had a run-scoring single in the sixth to score the only run off Moore (8-2).

Kim Weil (15-7) allowed only three hits, but suffered the loss. She struck out six and walked six for Hart (19-7).

In a first round 2-A game, Janeen Duncan pitched a two-hitter to lead Alemany to a 2-0 victory over Mountain View. Duncan, a senior right-hander, retired the first 10 batters she faced and allowed no runners to reach third base. Duncan walked none and struck out eight for her eighth shutout of the season.

Alemany scored solo runs in the third and fourth. Celine Carrion’s single drove in Rebecca Stuart in the third. In the fourth, Suzanne Schwary singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on single by Stuart, who was 1 for 2.

Alemany (18-7) plays the winner of today’s Canyon-California game in the second round on Wednesday. Mountain View ended the season at 9-9.