HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Arcadia Shocks Thousand Oaks

When the great teams lose, they usually fall hard. But there wasn’t a large thud when the Arcadia High girls’ volleyball team defeated Thousand Oaks, 18-16, 15-12, 15-11, Tuesday night at Thousand Oaks High to advance to the Southern Section 4-A Division semifinals.

When Arcadia’s Jennifer Kennedy spiked the game-winning point, most of the Lancers covered their faces and walked quietly off the court.

Nothing more, nothing less.

It seemed that Thousand Oaks (16-2), the 2-A champion in 1986 and 1987 and 4-A runner-up last year, wasn’t sure how to act.

“This is a new feeling,” Lancer Coach Ron Beick said. “It’s going to hurt. Everybody will go home and think of a thousand things they could have done to win.”

Captain Amy Chellevold, who had 15 kills and 22 assists, expressed more regret than anger. “This year we really wanted to win it,” Chellevold said. “It’s just too bad we didn’t play to our potential.”

The Lancers, ranked No. 6 coming into the match, twice blew chances to win the first game, losing leads of 14-12 and 16-15 before Arcadia, ranked No. 3, ended the game on consecutive kills by outside hitter Erin Johnston.

“Nothing comes easy in the quarterfinals,” Beick said. “After we lost the first game, we just didn’t come out strong enough in the second game.”

Thousand Oaks led, 7-5, in the second game, but Arcadia (21-1) outplayed the Lancers at the net and scored eight of the next 10 points to take a 13-9 advantage.

The final game was also close. The Lancers trailed, 13-11, before Alyson Becker served an ace and Kennedy spiked the game-winning point.

Thousand Oaks middle blocker Debbie Buchue had 14 kills and Erikka Gulbranson seven.

In other matches:

Royal d. Fountain Valley, 15-13, 15-8, 15-7--Wendy Brown notched 11 kills to lead host Royal (16-1) to a 4-A Division quarterfinal win. But it was Beth Kohs’ nine digs that earned praise from Coach Bob Ferguson.

“She was all over the floor,” Ferguson said. “She owned the court.”

Fountain Valley finished its season 16-3. Royal will face the winner of the Santa Monica-Louisville match Thursday night.

La Reina d. Alta Loma, 15-5, 15-6, 15-7--Heather Freeman had 10 kills and 10 blocks to lead host La Reina to a 2-A quarterfinal victory.

The loss was Alta Loma’s first in 19 matches.

Carolyn Russo added seven kills and 15 digs for the winners (17-2). La Reina will face the winner of the Arroyo Grande-La Mirada match Thursday night at 7:30.

Santa Margarita d. L.A. Baptist, 15-12, 13-15, 15-12, 9-15, 15-9--Andrea Lucadam had 21 kills, but that wasn’t enough to help L. A. Baptist (16-2) get past Santa Margarita in a 1-A quarterfinal match at Santa Margarita.

Monica Davis had 11 kills for L. A. Baptist (16-2). Santa Margarita improves to 17-1.