San Clemente Hits Full Speed, Wins Match : Division I volleyball: Tritons overcome nine-point deficit in Game 4 to beat Fountain Valley, 4-15, 16-14, 16-14, 16-14.

San Clemente stared at a nine-point deficit in Game 4 of a Southern Section boys’ volleyball playoff match against Fountain Valley. But the Tritons never flinched.

San Clemente scored the final 11 points of the match to post an improbable 4-15, 16-14, 16-14, 16-14 victory in a Division I quarterfinal at Fountain Valley High Friday.

“I think we got a little tired of hearing about how we played well but lost a close match,” San Clemente Coach Mike Hurlbut said. “We got tired of hearing that our focus would slip with the match on the line. But that wasn’t going to happen tonight.”

After a slow start, the Tritons were running at full speed to close out the match.

Gabe Gardner, who had 27 kills and four blocks, Corin Bemus, who had 20 kills and Rick Bruce, who had four of his six blocks in Game 4, helped San Clemente (16-5) advance to Wednesday’s semifinals to play second-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, a 15-10, 15-4, 15-12 winner over Goleta Dos Pueblos.

Returning to the lineup for the Tritons was 6-foot-5 setter Brandon Taliaferro, a second-team all-county selection last season who had missed six weeks this season because of a shoulder injury. Taliaferro played some in Tuesday’s second-round victory over Santa Margarita, and although he didn’t start Friday, he played the majority of the match and finished with 45 assists.

The semifinals appeared miles away in Game 4 for the Tritons. Facing a nine-point deficit, Game 5 appeared to be a certainty.

Fountain Valley middle blocker Phil Domingo was close to unstoppable for the first 2 1/2 games, finishing with a team-high 24 kills and four blocks to help the Barons (16-3) take the big lead in Game 4.

But Gardner began the comeback with three kills for a side out and two points to close San Clemente within 14-7. Chris Boden (seven kills) served for three more points to make it 14-10.

Bruce and Bemus each blocked Domingo for a point and two Fountain Valley errors drew the Tritons even, 14-14. Another Fountain Valley error gave San Clemente a 15-14 lead and Bruce blocked Domingo for match point.

“We just kept waiting for our comeback,” said Fountain Valley Coach Lori Biller, who watched her team rally from a two-games-to-one deficit to defeat Irvine in the second round. “But against a team like San Clemente you can’t do that.”