HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Royal Sweeps Thousand Oaks Despite Sluggish Performance

Expectations are so inflated for the Royal High boys’ volleyball team that the host Highlanders were displeased with a 15-2, 15-9, 15-7 victory over Marmonte League rival Thousand Oaks on Tuesday night.

But even in a match in which Royal was not at its sharpest, the Highlanders were much too strong for Thousand Oaks. Steve Hodge led Royal with 13 kills and three blocks. Brett Osterhoudt added 12 kills and eight digs.

“I’m not real pleased with our performance,” Royal Coach Bob Ferguson said. “You have good ones, you have bad ones and you have average ones. Tonight was an average one.”

The Highlanders (5-0, 3-0 in league matches) were coming off an emotional performance Saturday at the Dos Pueblos Invitational where they defeated a number of highly ranked teams on the way to a championship.

So it wasn’t surprising that there was a bit of a letdown.

But try telling the Lancers (3-2, 2-1) that Royal was flat.

“They were able to do whatever they wanted to do,” Thousand Oaks Coach James Parks said.

Tied, 2-2, in the first game, Royal rolled off 13 straight points as setter Travis Ferguson repeatedly found Osterhoudt, Hodge and Josh Penrod.

But Royal’s play turned sluggish in the second game. The Highlanders made eight unforced errors and the Lancers stayed close, trailing, 10-8. Then a pair of Penrod blocks set off a five-point run that allowed Royal to finish off the game and, in short order, the match.

“When we had an opening, our lack of experience really hurt,” said Parks, whose team uses five sophomores and two juniors in significant roles.