Thousand Oaks Is Game but Royal Wins Again

One streak snapped.

The more-important one, however, is alive and well.

Royal High surrendered a game--but that was all--in a 15-8, 15-5, 11-15, 15-4 Marmonte League boys’ volleyball victory over Thousand Oaks on Friday night at Royal.

Royal dropped a game at home for the first time in the seven-year history of Marmonte League volleyball, ending a streak of 131 games.

But the Highlanders (8-0, 7-0 in league play) climbed ahead of Thousand Oaks (6-1, 6-1) in the league standings, and won their 29th consecutive league match.

“I didn’t expect to walk out of here [winning], 15-4, 15-5, 15-6,” said Royal Coach Bob Ferguson. “We want to be an undefeated league champion, not undefeated in games.”

Thousand Oaks couldn’t stop middle blocker Joe Olsen, who converted the quick set time after time.

Olsen, who will play for BYU next season, had 10 kills in the first two games.

Thousand Oaks didn’t have much of anything for a while.

The Lancers confused nobody but themselves offensively. Passing and setting became problems, not fundamentals.

“That really hurt us,” said Thousand Oaks Coach James Park.

Then came the third game.

Thousand Oaks, which defeated Royal in 1994 and remains the only Marmonte League team to ever beat the Highlanders, played like a team and took a 14-3 lead.

Neal Maguire was connecting from the outside and Olsen was somewhat nullified. But Royal fought off nine game points and closed to within 14-11.

Olsen received almost every set, finishing with eight kills in the game.

Finally he hit the ball into the net. End of comeback. End of streak.

“I should be happy with one,” Park said.

Olsen (27 kills) dominated the middle and Marc Chaffee (21 kills) handled the outside in the fourth game.

“It’s kind of sad we have to lose a game at home, but it had to happen one of these years,” Olsen said.

Lancer Scott Sheridan, who is getting attention from Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine, finished with 13 kills.

Thousand Oaks, the ninth-ranked team in Southern Section Division I, plays host to Royal, Westlake and Channel Islands in the second half of the league season.

“There’s good hope for the second time around,” Park said.

Conversely, seventh-ranked Royal must hit the road, playing at Channel Islands, Westlake and Thousand Oaks.

Royal gets a test Tuesday, when it travels to top-ranked Mira Costa for a nonleague match.

“This may be good for us,” Ferguson said. “It creates a different atmosphere.”