SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I VOLLEYBALL : Styles Points the Way, Laguna Beach Rallies

It was prom night Friday at Laguna Beach High, so it was only fitting that the Artist volleyball team won with Styles.

Sophomore outside hitter Dan Styles had 27 kills as the third-seeded Artists rallied for an 8-15, 15-9, 10-15, 15-13, 15-13 victory against unseeded Goleta Dos Pueblos in a Southern Section Division I quarterfinal match at Laguna Beach.

The Artists (17-2) advanced to Wednesday night’s semifinals against top-seeded Capistrano Valley. Laguna Beach will be making its first trip to the semifinals since 1986. The Artists’ last title was in 1983.

Six of Styles’ kills came in the fifth game, including four during a rally that brought the Artists back from a 12-7 deficit.

Laguna Beach cut it to 12-11 after a kill by setter David Berney, who finished with seven kills and 79 assists. Consecutive kills by Styles gave the Artists a 13-12 lead, and Dos Pueblos’ Mike Hoefer hit the ball out wide to make the score 14-12.

Dos Pueblos fought off three match points to cut the deficit to 14-13, but Dos Pueblos’ Brice Daly was called for a lift violation to end the match.

“We went to hell and came back,” Laguna Beach Coach Michael Soylular said. “What a game.”

The Artists also rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the second game.

“We chased them all night,” Soylular said.

Beau Bianchi had 26 kills and Bob Jameson added 13 kills. Hoefer led Dos Pueblos (15-2) with 22 kills and 12 blocks.

After the match, Soylular called it “the most exciting boys’ match I’ve coached here.”

“I told the kids after the fourth game that even if they lost, they should enjoy the prom because they played well,” he said.

Thanks to Styles, they enjoyed themselves a whole lot more.