CIF STATE VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : DIVISION IV : No. 1 Eagles Too Sharp for Centennial

Courtney Owens’ performance spoke volumes for alternative medicine.

The Calvary Chapel junior outside hitter, with the help of a couple of accupuncture sessions, returned to the front row Tuesday after battling a strained abdominal muscle the last two games. The procedure required her doctor to insert needles into her stomach, “but it didn’t hurt,” she said, “even though it sounds like it would.”

The hurt came 27 hours later, when Owens needled second-seeded Bakersfield Centennial, giving top-seeded Calvary Chapel a 15-2, 15-11, 5-15, 16-14 victory in the Southern California Division IV regional final.

Neither team had lost a game in the regionals before Tuesday.

Owens finished with a match-high 15 kills after being limited to back-row play the last two games.

Calvary Chapel (21-1) plays North Regional winner San Jose Mitty for the State title at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. Third-seeded Mitty defeated No. 1 Forestville El Molino, 13-15, 15-4, 15-13, 15-7.

“I don’t think we would have won this match without (Owens),” Eagles Coach Jim Downey said. “I rested her through the rest of our (regional) matches because I knew this is the one we had to win.

“Their club team was second in the nation in 14-and-unders. . . . I think they were more physically talented than us.”

The Eagles, who started two sophomores and two juniors, had an edge in experience. Centennial (21-1) is a first-year school with no juniors or seniors. They started four freshmen and two sophomores, and it was that inexperience that allowed Calvary Chapel to win the first game.

“There were times when it seemed we needed someone with more presence,” Centennial Coach Brooke Roberts said. “There were times we were somewhat timid.”

Centennial got past the timidity in the second game. The Golden Hawks led, 11-10, before surrendering four consecutive points. Those were the times they could have used a leader.

Centennial overcame an 8-1 deficit in Game 4 to take a 10-8 lead, and even led, 14-13, before Lynn Lovingier’s ace, a hitting error and Sara Roberts’ match-winning kill, her 12th.

Calvary Chapel’s Jenny Roberts had 10 kills, four blocks and four aces, including two in Game 4 when the Eagles trailed, 11-9.

Freshmen Janae Henry and Kelly Meyer had 13 kills apiece for Centennial.