Ocean View Bumps Off Yosemite

Ocean View continued to turn the road weary into road kill.

After Oakhurst Yosemite made its 5 1/2-hour journey into Orange County on Saturday, Ocean View delivered a 15-3, 15-9, 15-4 victory in a state Division III second-round match at Ocean View.

Ocean View, which hosted Exeter from the Central Valley in a one-sided first-round match, will host La Jolla, a 15-10, 15-7, 15-13 winner over Torrance Bishop Montgomery, in the semifinals on Tuesday.

“Yosemite tried to come down and get here early, but still it’s a long way from home and we have a great crowd,” Ocean View Coach Tim Mennealy said.

Yosemite, which advanced to the second round after defeating La Habra in five games at Yosemite on Tuesday, left Oakhurst early Saturday morning.

“I talked to some kids who played for La Habra and they said the six- or seven-hour drive up there had an effect on their game,” Mennealy said. “So I’m sure it does on these guys too.”

Yosemite Coach Michele Chenowith downplayed the role travel played in the match. The Badgers often travel one or two hours to play their league matches.

“We come down here for a tournament every year, so we kind of have the flow of things to get here early and relax,” Chenowith said. “I don’t think it took too much out of us, they’re just a great team.”

The Seahawks (19-1) started the match strong, similar to Tuesday’s first-round victory. Junior setter Tracy Lindquist served six consecutive winners before Yosemite could sideout, and Ocean View stretched the lead to 11-0 before the Badgers got their first point.

Lindquist then finished the opening game when she surprised Yosemite by placing her set in the middle of its defense. Lindquist finished with seven kills and 33 assists.

Yosemite (19-6) took its first lead early in the second game and stretched it to 8-5 before Ocean View scored six consecutive points and 10 of 11 to win it.

Senior Shelby Jameson served three of her five aces in the third game, which was finished by Sharon Shelton’s team-high 10th kill of the match.