HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP : Harvard Struggles Past San Marino

Harvard High has gained a reputation for excellence in volleyball that reaches far and wide.

And far and wide is where most of San Marino’s shots sailed Friday night in a Southern Section 4-A Division playoff opener.

Harvard prevailed, as expected, 15-11, 15-3, 5-15, 15-7.

What perhaps was not expected was that San Marino, which finished third in the Rio Hondo League, took a game from Harvard. The Saracens swept each of their 10 San Fernando Valley League matches this season.

Coach Mark Zalin of Harvard (13-2) was ambivalent about Friday’s performance. The Saracens have not played in a week and, at times, the inactivity showed.

“We’d dominate the match and then we’d have letdowns,” he said. “We probably had 20 different lineups out there. With all those lineups, you’re going to have letdowns where guys aren’t used to playing next to other guys.”

One reason for the roster juggling was the absence of All-Southern Section setter Andres Carlo, who missed the match because of family matters.

But even when Harvard is without Carlo, its tenacity is tough to rival.

The Saracen lineup also features 6-foot-4 Rick Osterloh, an All-Southern Section volleyball and basketball selection, and 6-6 middle blocker Matt Clark.

Said Zalin: “When we get rolling, we’re tough to stop.”

That’s when they get rolling.

The Saracens fell behind, 3-0 and 8-4, in the first game before forging an 8-8 tie.

In the second game, they flexed their collective muscle, taking a 9-0 advantage with relative ease.

San Marino surged in the first game; Harvard fell flat.

“That was the sloppiest we’ve played all year,” Osterloh said. “We play a few good teams at the beginning of the season but our league is kind of weak. It doesn’t get us ready for the playoffs.

“We’re not playing well together. A couple of days will help that.”

In other matches:

Flintridge Prep d. Pater Noster, 4-15, 15-4, 15-10, 15-9--Ryan Frost (20 kills) and Scott So (16 kills) led Flintridge Prep (14-5-1) in the first round of the Southern Section 2-A playoffs at Flintridge Prep.

St. Joseph d. Montclair Prep, 15-8, 15-8, 15-12--Outside hitters Charles Murphy (24 kills), Ed Cibrian (21 kills) and setter Jeff Derman (57 assists) led Montclair Prep (10-11) in the first round of the Southern Section 2-A playoffs at St. Joseph.

Nick Pastore had 22 kills to lead St. Joseph’s (11-4).

Marshall d. Van Nuys, 9-15, 13-15, 15-11, 15-8, 15-7--Efren Orlanes had 16 kills and 10 blocks to lead visiting Marshall (12-4) in a City Section 3-A match at Van Nuys (11-5).