No. 1 Newport Harbor Beats Edison : Volleyball: May has 33 kills; Schutz has 16 kills and five blocks as Sailors win in four games.

Newport Harbor, the state’s top-ranked girls’ volleyball team, shifted into playoff mode in Thursday’s semifinal victory over Edison at Fountain Valley High.

Although Edison won Game 3, the Sailors, top-seeded for the Southern Section Division I playoffs, finished the match with a flurry posting a 15-10, 15-5, 14-16, 15-4 victory.

Misty May had 33 kills and 13 digs and Melissa Schutz had 16 kills and five blocks to lead the Sailors (22-1), who advanced to Saturday’s final at Cypress College to play Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (29-1), a three-game winner over Huntington Beach.

“We weren’t looking toward Saturday,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “We were ready for Edison and they battled us. We beat a very good team tonight and we’re excited to be in the finals.”

It looked as if the Sailors would cruise to the final after victories in Games 1 and 2, but Edison made them sweat a little.

The fourth-seeded Chargers (17-2), champions of the Sunset League, trailed 15-14 in Game 3 but fought back. After holding off two match points, two blocks by Edison’s Kelli Liniger and a hitting error by May gave the Chargers the game, 16-14.

Edison outside hitter Erin McCown had eight of her 13 kills in Game 3 and Shelby Clemens posted five of her 11 kills in the game. Kari Hogancamp (16 digs) and Clemens (15 digs) also sparked Edison with some good defense.

But Newport Harbor had too many weapons.

When May wasn’t bombing away, Newport Harbor setter Jenny Hecker, who had 61 assists, had plenty of other options. Schutz, Sara Fairborn (11 kills) and Tina Bowman (seven kills and two blocks) helped keep Edison honest.

Fairborn also had a team-high 18 digs, underlining the overall strength of the Sailors.

“Their defense is what makes them so good,” Edison Coach Dave Mohs said. “You’ve got to play error-free to beat them and we didn’t do that.”