Capistrano Valley Fights but Loses

Capistrano Valley showed its grit by extending Moore League co-champion Long Beach Wilson to five games. The Cougars’ inexperience, however, also showed as they lost, 15-8, 7-15, 15-12, 9-15, 15-12, in a first-round Southern Section Division I-AA girls’ volleyball playoff match Tuesday at Wilson High.

Wilson will play Thursday at top-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa.

Capistrano Valley (11-6), the third-place team from the South Coast League, had plenty of chances to upset Wilson (11-5), but the Cougars lost leads of 11-8 in the fifth game and 11-7 in the third game.

“We’re young and we made mistakes and missed some serves in key moments,” said Coach John Gipe, whose Cougars include only two seniors. “We have a freshman setter [Andrea Delsigne] and our inexperience showed at times.”

Capistrano Valley appeared ready to move on to the second round, leading, 11-8 in the fifth game, but Wilson freshman Jordan Scott, a reserve, for five consecutive points, using an effective jump serve, and the Cougars never recovered.

Juniors Kristen Gallup had 28 kills and 24 digs and Rochelle Currier had 17 kills, five blocks and 28 digs to lead Capistrano Valley.

Sophomore Becky Warnick had four kills and three of her six blocks in a convincing 15-9 victory in Game 4, helping the Cougars rebound from a tough loss in Game 3, which they had led, 11-7.