SOUTHERN SECTION VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Mira Costa in Groove as Harvard Bows Out

Those on the side of Mira Costa High called it the Mustangs’ best match of the year.

That translated into bad news for Harvard-Westlake, which fell to Mira Costa, 15-12, 15-4, 15-6, in the Southern Section Division I boys’ volleyball semifinals Wednesday night at Redondo High.

The Wolverines held their own in a four-game loss at Mira Costa on May 3, but the rematch was more than a reversal of fortune.

It was pure misfortune, as Harvard-Westlake (18-2) caught the Mustangs (22-0) on a night where they passed, attacked and dug with near-perfection.

“I don’t know that we were scared, but they came out and dominated us,” setter Jason Morrow said. “We played all right, but you can’t play all right against a team like that.”

Especially when that team features UCLA-bound Adam Naeve and UC Santa Barbara-bound Kevin Collins.

The Wolverines’ plan was simple: Serve right at the 6-foot-10 Naeve and try to take him out of the offense. When the strategy went amiss, so did the Wolverines.

Naeve’s passing was better than expected and the match went faster than expected.

Collins had 20 kills, Naeve 18.

Said Naeve: “I don’t think we played this well as a team the whole year.”

Mira Costa can look toward Saturday night’s championship match against Capistrano Valley, when it goes after its first title since 1990 and third overall.

Harvard-Westlake won the Mission League title and advanced further in the Division I playoffs than any team in school history.

But on Wednesday, the Wolverines failed to score more than two consecutive points on a sideout. Mira Costa went on three- or four-point runs in every game. The spurts equated to leads of 9-4, 12-3 and 7-2 in the three games.

“They were super fast and we were slow tonight on transition,” said Harvard-Westlake Coach Jess Quiroz, who received 16 kills from Rick Rauth. “We played like we had nothing to lose two weeks ago, but tonight we were really tight.”