Golden West Volleyball Streak Survives Scare

Never has Golden West’s conference winning streak in women’s volleyball been more in danger than Tuesday at Fullerton.

Despite being down in the fifth game, 10-6, Golden West came back to win, 15-12, to take the Orange Empire Conference match, three games to two.

Golden West, which played without starting setter Beth Rosen (sore ankle), won the match, 16-14, 15-3, 11-15, 13-15, 15-12.

It was the 115th consecutive conference victory for Golden West (6-0, 1-0), which has won the last three state titles. The Rustlers are ranked No. 1 in the state this season.

“We were just scared to play,” Golden West Coach Albert Gasparian said. “[Fullerton] did a great job. They could have just folded.”

For a time it looked as if Fullerton, which also reached the state tournament last season, was going to roll over after blowing the lead late in the first game.

The Hornets were down in the opening game, 7-2, but rallied for nine consecutive points. Fullerton eventually led, 14-11, and three times served for the match only to have Golden West win a side out.

Fullerton (4-1, 0-1) looked sluggish in the second game and lost, 15-3.

Still, Gasparian wasn’t happy with his team’s effort and kept asking them to talk more on the court and to show more of an overall interest in the match.

His fears began to come true in the third game when Fullerton regrouped and won, 15-11.

Golden West started well in the fourth game, leading, 12-7, only to have Christy Deming serve seven consecutive points to put Fullerton up, 14-12, before winning, 15-13.

Fullerton looked ready for the upset of the year in the fifth game.

The Hornets scored six consecutive points and led, 10-6.

But a powerful spike by Marish Marquis got things going for Golden West. She finished with a match-high 23 kills.

Golden West rolled off five in a row to lead, 11-10. Fullerton got even on a kill by Michelle Halliday, who had a team-high 20.

Another kill by Marquis, then one by Lorna Lyttle and two Fullerton hitting errors accounted for Golden West’s final four points.

Mary Luhrs had 19 kills and Lyttle had 16 for Golden West.

Nadia Hoerner had 15 kills also for Fullerton.