SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I VOLLEYBALL : Bratcher’s Ace Puts Finishing Touch on Laguna Beach’s Rally

Erin Bratcher’s ace for match point was the crowning achievement in Laguna Beach’s comeback in the Division I girls’ volleyball semifinals Thursday at Corona del Mar High.

Third-seeded Laguna Beach rallied for a 15-8, 15-17, 11-15, 15-8, 15-12 victory that moved the Artists (18-1) into the divisional championship match against top-seeded Corona del Mar (28-0) at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Cerritos College.

“It’s the game that everyone has been waiting for,” said Laguna Beach Coach Mike Soylular. “I wasn’t sure we were going to make it. I can’t believe how much Newport Harbor has improved.”

Newport Harbor (15-5) had been swept by Laguna Beach, 15-12, 15-11, 15-9, in a nonleague match two months ago. But since then, Coach Dan Glenn’s sophomore-dominated team has played like a veteran team with outside hitter Misty May leading the attack.

May was dominating in the rematch. She put the Sailors ahead, 2-1, but Laguna Beach rallied behind the play of Rachel Wacholder and Hilary Kyle to tie the match, setting up a fifth game.

Laguna Beach opened an 8-3 lead in the final game with Wacholder hitting and Lisa Ravensburg blocking. Newport Harbor rallied to tie the Artists, 12-12, but its comeback bid was hurt when Tina Bowman committed a service error.

Laguna Beach responded with a kill by Kyle, a block by Anne Swayne and then Bratcher’s serve that Newport Harbor’s Sarah Warmington failed to return.

“You hate to end a game like that (with an ace serve),” Glenn said. “The cardinal rule is to hit anything close in a situation like that, but it was a real good serve. We should have never let Laguna Beach get to 14 points.

“I thought our kids played real well but give Laguna Beach credit. They rallied to win the last two games after we had them down. I think they’ll match up real well against Corona del Mar.”

The match featured the county’s top players--Wacholder and May--and the two hitters didn’t disappoint the capacity crowd. Wacholder, a senior headed for Colorado, had 55 kills and May, a sophomore, had 48.

In the other semifinal:

Corona del Mar 3, Santa Barbara 0--Jennifer Stroffe had 12 kills for Corona del Mar, the top-ranked team in the state, which won, 16-14, 15-11, 15-0. Teammate Lori Newcomer had 10 kills and Allison Englebrecht had eight kills and four blocks for the top-seeded Sea Kings (28-0). Kristin Campbell had 28 assists for Corona del Mar.