SUNSET LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL : Unranked Huntington Beach Sweeps Edison

Huntington Beach High wasn’t much of a factor in the Sunset League girls’ volleyball race last season, finishing fourth and failing to make the playoffs.

But the Oilers established themselves as a contender Tuesday night by sweeping Edison, ranked third in Orange County.

Deana Itow had 18 kills as the unranked Oilers cruised to a 15-3, 16-14, 15-11 victory at Edison.

Huntington Beach improved to 6-3 and moved into a three-way tie with Edison and Fountain Valley for the league lead with a 6-1 record. The Oilers meet Fountain Valley Oct. 27 and Edison on Nov. 5 in the second round of league play.

“It’s going to be a serious battle,” said Cammy Ciarelli, the Oilers’ first-year coach. “The girls are going to have to handle the pressure. I told them they could celebrate for five minutes, then it’s back to work.”

Huntington Beach was nearly flawless in the first two games, committing only three hitting errors while capitalizing on eight errors and 11 violations by Edison. The Chargers struggled with Huntington Beach’s serving, especially Itow’s, and couldn’t get a good pass to setter Natasha Zila.

“Edison is a good team,” said Rocky Ciarelli, who helps wife Cammy coach Huntington Beach. “I just think they had a bad night. It wasn’t one of their better nights.”

And Edison had no answer for Itow’s play on the left side. She had six kills in the first game and five in the second, committing only one hitting error.

“Deana is starting to come together,” Cammy Ciarelli said. “She can be consistent and mix it up more.”

Huntington Beach easily won the first game but needed late rallies to win the other two.

The Oilers came back from a 13-10 deficit in the second game, tying the score, 14-14. An Edison hitting error and a block by Huntington Beach’s Vanessa Dahl gave the Oilers the victory.

Edison held an 8-6 lead in the third game, but an ace by Kim Watts started a 9-4 Huntington Beach rally that ended the match.

Melissa Wendt added 10 kills, and junior setter Jana Crogan had 36 assists, three kills and an ace for the Oilers.

Alicia Liniger led Edison with 12 kills, and Zila added 28 assists and seven kills.