CITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Poly Doesn’t Crack, Surprises Sylmar

Midway through the third game of Poly High’s City Section 3-A volleyball semifinal against Sylmar, it appeared the Parrots didn’t have a chance to end the Spartans’ 25-match winning streak.

Poly and Sylmar split the first two games but when the Spartans jumped to a nine-point lead amid a slew of hitting errors and net violations by the Parrots, it appeared Poly’s chances were slipping away.

Except somebody forgot to tell Marlena McLurkin and Latoya Seeley. The seniors used their height advantage and hitting prowess to lead Poly to a 15-10, 5-15, 11-15, 15-6, 15-7 victory over the defending 3-A champions Wednesday night.

McLurkin and Seeley, both 5-10, combined for 29 kills in the third match of the season between the teams. Sylmar, with no player over 5-6, beat Poly in five games just two weeks ago and swept the Parrots earlier.

Fourth-seeded Poly (12-4) advances to Saturday’s final at Occidental College against second-seeded Van Nuys.

The turning point came with the Parrots trailing, 9-1, early in the third game. Poly staged a rally for an 11-10 lead before Sylmar’s Carmen Avila served five consecutive points.

But the tide had turned.

“I could tell in their faces when they came back to the bench,” Poly Coach Jimmy Ikeda said. “They felt like they were hot.”

Poly was clearly the dominant team in the final two games. The Parrots jumped to an early lead in the fourth game. When top-seeded Sylmar (14-1) rallied to within 8-6, Poly surged back, led by five consecutive kills by McLurkin, to close out the game.

Poly took the lead for good midway though the final game, helped by four consecutive hitting errors by outside hitter Anne Guevarra (18 kills) and service aces by Patty Sandoval and Kellye Allen.

“We knew they had the big win streak,” McLurkin said. “We knew what their style was and how to defend it. We finally got great hitting in the last two games.”

Poly set the tone with three consecutive kills from McLurkin to help win the first game, but the Spartans held her in check until late in the Game 2.

Sylmar surged ahead, 10-0, in the second game as Guevarra had several well-placed kills. Poly closed to within 10-4, but two aces by Karina Avendano pulled the Spartans even.