Harvard-Westlake Registers a Repeat Feat

It was a case of deja vu for Harvard-Westlake High.

The Wolverines were shaking their heads after a 9-15, 15-8, 15-11, 15-5 victory over scrappy San Luis Obispo in the State Division III quarterfinals Saturday night at Harvard-Westlake. The Wolverines (22-3) meet Torrance Bishop Montgomery in the semifinals Tuesday night.

Saturday’s match was nearly identical to Harvard-Westlake’s four-game victory over San Luis Obispo (16-3) in the Southern Section Division III-A final.

“It was kind of a carbon copy,” said Harvard-Westlake Coach Jesse Quiroz.

Last week, the Tigers, led by 6-foot-1 middle blocker Heather Wintermeyer, routed Harvard-Westlake, 15-6, in the first game. Wintermeyer had 43 kills in that match.

Saturday, the Tigers again won the first game. But experience paid off for the Wolverines, who adjusted to Wintermeyer’s attack by double- and triple-blocking her and holding her to just 26 kills.

“We did much better blocking this week,” Quiroz said. “We handled [Wintermeyer] real well.”

Swing hitter Christine Bohle led the Wolverines with 23 kills and four aces. She was central to Harvard-Westlake’s come-from-behind, third-game victory.

After handling the Tigers easily in the second game, the Wolverines lost momentum and fell behind, 9-5, in game three. They got a break when San Luis Obispo’s Yolanda White hit the antenna on a kill attempt.

Harvard-Westlake’s Bohle stepped back to the service line with one intention.

“I was really pumped up,” she said. “I was going to go for the ace.”

Mission accomplished. Bohle blasted a line-drive serve that landed for a point and made it 9-6. She served eight more points in a row, notching two more aces and creating a passing nightmare for the Tigers, to bring Harvard-Westlake to game point, 14-9. Several plays later, Bohle closed it out with a kill.

“I get really pumped up,” said Bohle. “That’s when I get really aggressive.”

San Luis Obispo was out of steam by the fourth game.

Harvard-Westlake took a 13-3 lead and won the game on a Bohle kill and an ace by Anne Jakle.

Next up for Harvard-Westlake is Bishop Montgomery, which has turned into a grudge opponent. The Knights beat Harvard-Westlake in three games earlier this season.

“That match will mean a lot,” said Wolverine setter Allison Rintala. “I know we have the potential to beat them. It’s a pride thing.”

Said Quiroz: “It’s a match we’ve been waiting for for a long time. [Bishop Montgomery] beat us three straight at a time we were going through some transitions. But now we’re back, we’re clicking.”

Malaika Naulls finished with nine kills and four blocks for the Wolverines, uncharacteristically low numbers for her.

“The set wasn’t there for her tonight,” Quiroz said.

Rintala had 43 assists, five kills and two aces.

Nicki Daman had 27 assists and two kills for the Tigers. White added seven kills and three aces.

In another quarterfinal match:

Westlake d. Santa Barbara, 15-9, 14-16, 15-13, 13-15, 15-2--Heather Hutchison had 22 kills at Santa Barbara to lead the Warriors, who will meet Huntington Beach in the Division II semifinals.