Well-Prepared Agoura Bolts Past Quartz Hill in Volleyball Playoffs

The Agoura High girls’ volleyball team, hoping to release nervous energy, gathered 90 minutes before its match against Quartz Hill in the first round of the Southern Section 3-A Division playoffs Wednesday night at Agoura.

The 4th-ranked Chargers scrimmaged and even took time out to film a few takes for Coach Mike Bird’s year-in-review video.

“I was overexcited but I got a lot of nervous energy out,” setter Amy Ward said. “We were a lot more in control once we started.”

And control the match the Chargers did, opening with 8 consecutive points en route to a 15-1, 15-11, 15-5 victory in a match that lasted only 70 minutes.

Agoura (13-2), which lost in the 3-A finals last season, plays Villa Park on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at a site to be determined today.

“We wanted them here early to be mentally prepared and really, really loose,” Bird said.

Of course, all the revelry would have been wasted had Quartz Hill (11-8) put up a fight. Luckily for Agoura, the Rebels were content with just playing a supporting role in Agoura: The Movie.

“They are a much better team,” Quartz Hill Coach Twyla Thomas said. “I give them a lot of credit.”

Agoura, the Frontier League champion, dominated the first game. Setter Margaret Park’s first 2 serves were not returned and Lisa Ferragamo and Ward each served 2 aces as Agoura took a 9-1 lead.

“Their serving definitely overpowered us,” Thomas said.

Ward was not as impressed.

“We missed too many serves, way too many serves,” she said. “It wasn’t as impressive tonight, but we stayed consistent and that helped make up for the missed serves.”

But even she conceded that Agoura’s serving affected Quartz Hill.

“We served them off the court and they couldn’t pass the ball,” she said.

Quartz Hill, which tied for second in the Golden League, stayed close throughout the second game. The Rebels led, 2-1, before Agoura scored 7 of the next 8 points.

“They didn’t let down after the first few points,” Thomas said. Quartz Hill narrowed Agoura’s 8-3 lead to 10-8 before the Chargers rallied to win.

Agoura cruised through the final game, taking leads of 5-0 and 10-1 on the strong serving of Park and Ward and the dominating play of middle blocker Karen Clemens and outside hitter Christy Janssen.