DIVISION V VOLLEYBALL : Calvary Chapel Serves Up a Winner in the Section Final

Because it’s the only thing in the game you can control, you’d best be able to execute it.

Volleyball coaches have this pet peeve about their players being able to consistently get serves over the net. You have nothing to say about momentum, hot hitters, blockers who tower over you, they’ll tell you.

But you can control the serve.

Calvary Chapel has remembered that all season, and the words came back to help the Eagles in their 15-9, 15-17, 15-7, 15-10 Southern Section Division V victory over Cerritos Valley Christian on Saturday.

“The key to our play is the serve,” said Calvary Chapel Coach Jim Downey. “If we serve well, we’ll do well.”

It was the third meeting of Olympic League champion Calvary Chapel and intra-league rival and runner-up Valley Christian. In their previous two engagements, Calvary Chapel prevailed in four games each outing--and the Eagles’ serve was smoking.

Eight players combined for 20 aces to propel the Eagles (18-1). Sophomore setter Kensy Zulueta had five, junior outside hitter Courtney Owens had four and senior setter Kati French and junior outside hitter Sara Roberts had three apiece.

The Crusaders (15-4) were ready for the serving clinic, but only partially defended it. Valley Christian blocked seven serves in their first meeting, two in the second and four Saturday.

The match featured several lead changes, but Calvary Chapel held off every Crusader rally except in Game 2, where the Eagles let three game points slip away before Valley Christian closed it out on the fourth game point. At 16-15, the teams exchanged six side outs before Aisha Veasley’s down-the-line kill claimed the game.