VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP : Huntington Beach Boys Rebound From 2-Game Deficit to Beat Marina

Matt Taylor and the Huntington Beach High School volleyball team are starting to dig this comeback stuff.

The Oilers, top-ranked in Orange County, rallied from 7-1 and 12-10 deficits in the final two games for an 11-15, 10-15, 15-8, 15-10, 15-13 victory over third-ranked Marina in a Sunset League match Friday night at Huntington Beach.

“This was a great match,” Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli said. “When you get both teams playing as well as tonight, you’re going to go five games.”

Taylor had 34 kills and four aces as the Oilers rebounded from a two-game deficit for the second time in a league match. Huntington Beach lost two games to Edison in the league opener three weeks ago before rallying to win.

“I just couldn’t get going in this game,” Taylor said. “Marina’s block is like the wall of death.”

The victory helped Huntington Beach (9-1, 5-0) strengthen its grip on the league lead.

Marina (4-3, 3-2) dropped its second consecutive five-game match, having lost to Edison on Wednesday night.

The Vikings appeared to have the match in hand, leading, 7-1, in the fourth game. But Taylor and Ian Adam each had two aces as the Oilers tied the score, 10-10.

Then Dennis Winners, Marina’s top hitter, began struggling. He hit four balls out of bounds, and Taylor added an ace as Huntington Beach went on a 5-0 streak to end the game.

Marina Coach John Burns said his team was frustrated in the fourth game.

“It was all mental,” Burns said. “We tried to push too hard.”

Marina settled down and took control early in the fifth game, racing to an 8-3 lead. But Taylor had three kills to key a 7-2 Huntington Beach run.

Marina middle blocker John Mull put the Vikings back in front, 12-10, with two consecutive kills and a block.

But Huntington Beach rallied again, tying the score at 13. Mull then hit the ball into the net and watched a spike sail out of bounds as Huntington Beach took the final two points and the match.

Winners had 31 kills and Mull added 23 kills, five blocks and three aces to lead Marina. Phoung Vu had 12 kills, Brant Shelor 10 and setter Greg Gratteau nine for the Vikings.

“The only thing I liked about this match is that we really improved from Wednesday night’s loss to Edison,” Burns said. “We played much, much better.”

Unlike the Edison match, in which Taylor dominated with 49 kills, Huntington Beach had a more balanced attack against Marina.

Andy Kijewski had 17 kills, Adam Bowermaster 15 and Jeff Vanderwal 13 for the Oilers.

“Kijewski and Vanderwal made this match competitive,” Ciarelli said. “Vanderwal usually has only five or six kills. He played well.

“And Bowermaster (who is coming off an ankle injury) is a fiery guy who really helps us.”

In the Orange League:

Valencia 3, Western 0--Lyle Castillo had nine kills and Doug Finnell had 37 assists for visiting Valencia (8-0, 2-0), which won, 15-4, 15-8, 15-11.

In the Pacific Coast League:

Trabuco Hills 3, Laguna Hills 1--Ken Ohlsen had 16 kills and Nick Renzi had eight blocks and eight kills for host Trabuco Hills (3-3, 2-0), which won, 15-9, 14-16, 15-5, 15-13.

In the Empire League:

El Dorado 3, Cypress 1--Coulter Marshall had 10 kills for host El Dorado (4-5, 1-0), which won, 13-15, 15-10, 15-8, 15-13.

In the Sea View League:

Woodbridge 3, Corona del Mar 0--Todd Beebe had 12 kills and four blocks and Randy Gilbert had seven kills and five blocks for visiting Woodbridge (6-1, 2-0), which won, 15-0, 15-13, 15-12.

Newport Harbor 3, University 1--Justin McIntee had 18 kills and Martin McAnlis had 13 kills for host Newport Harbor (5-3, 1-1), which won 12-15, 15-9, 15-11, 15-13.

In the South Coast League:

Capistrano Valley 3, Dana Hills 1--Eric Olson had 55 assists as Capistrano Valley (8-0, 2-0) won, 15-9, 15-6, 7-15, 15-9 at Dana Hills. Vance Hickin had 16 kills, Ryan Benn 12, and Scott Anderson 11 for Capistrano Valley.

San Clemente 3, Irvine 1--Junior middle blocker Morgan Bannister had 22 kills and Mike Scales had 40 assists for host San Clemente (2-4, 1-1), which won, 15-4, 3-15, 16-14, 16-14. Irvine dropped to 6-2, 1-1.