SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Fountain Valley Has Enough to Overcome Esperanza’s Greer

Fountain Valley defeated Esperanza in three games in a Southern Section 4-A first-round volleyball match Wednesday night, but one player kept it from being easy for the Sunset League champions.

The unseeded Barons (15-5) had to contend with Julie Greer, Esperanza’s All-Empire League player, before winning, 15-10, 15-12, 15-10, at Fountain Valley High School.

The champion of one league shouldn’t have much trouble disposing of a third-place team from another. But with Greer, a 6-foot-1 senior, leading the offense and defense, the Aztecs were able to stay in the match. Greer, who had 16 kills, and Fountain Valley’s Brandi Coen and Colleen Moro traded kills throughout the match.

In the third game, Esperanza (10-8) played steadily and Fountain Valley had serving trouble, which led to a close game. The teams tied five times, the last at 10-10. Fountain Valley’s Moro, who had 12 kills, tied the game with a kill and the Barons took a 12-10 lead on Aztec errors before Esperanza called a timeout. Coen, who had a game-high 17 kills, served an ace on the next shot, Greer returned the second into the net and Moro hit a cross-court kill on match point.

The Barons will meet Gahr, which defeated Schurr, 15-8, 15-8, 17-5, Wednesday. Gahr defeated Fountain Valley in a five-game, second-round match last season.

“We are a bit apprehensive about the rematch,” said Misty Sano, Fountain Valley’s second-year coach. “We’ve seen them play and I feel we have a real strong shot at defeating them.”