SOUTHERN SECTION VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Blocks Come in Handy for Capistrano Valley

Capistrano Valley’s volleyball team hopes a trip to the Southern Section 4-A finals is just a few blocks away.

The Cougars’ blocking and balanced attack put them on the road to the second round with a 15-12, 15-9, 10-15, 15-10 first-round victory over Edison Friday night at Capistrano Valley.

Outside hitter Aaron Garcia had 20 kills and three blocks and middle blocker Eric Seiffert added 19 kills for the Cougars (15-2), who will meet Laguna Beach in the second round Tuesday.

Laguna Beach swept Capistrano Valley in a nonleague match earlier this season.

Garcia and Seiffert led four Cougars in double-figure kills. Bryan Lawson added 15 kills, Evan Alexander 10 kills and seven blocks and Steve Thornton eight kills and six blocks.

“I thought Garcia played well,” Capistrano Valley Coach Ken Goldstone said. “And Seiffert and Thornton were tough in the middle. Edison attacks the middle, and we’ve been working hard on our blocking.”

Capistrano Valley’s blocking held Josh Snyder and Joe McCarthy, Edison’s outside hitters, to 17 kills each. Nine of McCarthy’s kills came in the first game.

“Joe’s a great player and we didn’t want him to get going for the whole match,” Goldstone said.

Seiffert broke open a 7-7 tie in the second game, serving four consecutive points, including two aces. The Cougars led, 13-9, and ended the game on a kill by Thornton and a block by Alexander.

Edison responded with some key blocks to win the third game. Adam Hall had two block assists and John Khamis added two block assists and a solo block as the Chargers scored the final five points of the game.

But Capistrano Valley overcame a 6-4 deficit in the fourth game, going on a 10-2 run sparked by two blocks apiece by Alexander and Thornton.

“It was good to see us regroup after the third game,” Goldstone said. “I was happy with the way we came back.”