Royal Runs Win Streak to 22 Matches

Royal High boys’ volleyball Coach Bob Ferguson thought 1990 was going to be a rebuilding year.

Maybe he meant the Highlanders were going to add on another Southern Section championship.

Royal, the defending Southern Section 2-A Division champion, won its 22nd consecutive match Tuesday and fifth this season, upending visiting Crespi in three games, 15-3, 15-12, 15-3.

The Highlanders, 38-4 since the inception of their volleyball program three years ago, have won all 24 of their home matches.

“Our streak is still alive,” Ferguson said afterward. “We’re actually probably better now than we were last year at this time. Everything we tried today worked.”

Crespi will vouch for that. The Celts (4-1) trailed by just 4-3 in the first game when Royal broke away, capitalizing on Crespi mistakes to score the final 11 points.

The Celts collected themselves in the next game and led, 12-8, behind Mike Palumbo’s five kills. But Royal scored seven points in a row to win the game.

In the third game Royal, behind Jeff Colton’s five kills, jumped to a 9-1 lead and coasted to the win.

“The big factor was they played better defense than we did, and their kids wanted it more than our kids did,” Crespi Coach Kevin Slattum said.

“We just came out fired up and took them out of their game from the start with some tough serving and good defense,” said Royal’s Adam White, who had eight kills.

Colton led Royal with 12 kills. Miguel Ramirez and Kevin Hambly each added 11 kills and Travis Ferguson had 30 assists.

Palumbo led Crespi with 10 kills.