Westlake’s Streak Tested

Shhhh.

Don’t tell anybody at Westlake High, but the girls’ volleyball team has swept all five of its playoff matches and is working on an impressive 15-0 streak in games.

The Warriors (34-3), who won the Southern Section Division II-A title last Saturday, host Bakersfield Stockdale in a state quarterfinal match tonight at 7.

The consecutive games streak may not remain intact, but the Warriors, the top-seeded team in the Southern California region, aren’t really discussing it.

“No one wants to jinx it,” middle

blocker Erika Denison said. “We just want to keep getting through it.”

Westlake has medical history on its side, as well as a 13-15, 15-11, 15-7, 15-13, state playoff victory last season against Stockdale in the first round.

With Leigh O’Neill and Courtney Miller healthy for the first time since September, the Warriors could be looking at a return trip to the state semifinals.

“Usually teams would be coming into injuries at this time, but for us, it’s like we’re coming out of injuries,” said Denison, who is fighting off a head cold.

The 6-foot-1 Denison, who had six blocks in a first-round sweep of Sanger on Tuesday, could play a key role against Stockdale.

The Mustangs (23-10) are not a tall team. Their best player, Kelly Hierlmeier, is a 5-10 outside hitter. They won the Central Section Division II title last week and swept San Marcos on Tuesday.

Miller, a 6-1 opposite hitter, will be playing in her third match since returning from foot surgery.

O’Neill, slowed by an injured right shoulder, played strictly in the back row since September until the third game against Sanger. She had four kills and an ace.

Said Westlake Coach Chris Rundle: “We just want to try to keep [our matches] as short as possible.”

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Call it Flintridge Sacred Heart-Marlborough V.

In a match-up that’s starting to look more like a heavyweight boxing rivalry, the Tologs play Marlborough for the fifth time in two seasons, this time in a state Division IV quarterfinal match tonight at 7 at St. Francis High.

The teams split the previous four meetings, but Sacred Heart (17-3) beat the Mustangs (19-1) in four games last Saturday for the Southern Section Division IV-AA title.

The Tologs also defeated the Mustangs in last year’s Division IV-AA title match. Marlborough has beaten Sacred Heart each of the past two years in regular-season matches.