Royal’s Girls Claim Self-Serving Victory

The balance of power in the Marmonte League teetered and tottered before it tumbled back to a place where it hasn’t been in a while--in favor of Royal High.

The Highlanders defeated Westlake, league champion the last two seasons, 15-8, 15-11, 15-13, in a girls’ volleyball match Thursday night at Westlake that was closer than the score indicated.

Superior serving was a key, as was the play of 5-foot-6 outside hitter Toni-Ann Merendino, the unheralded star of the Highlanders.

Merendino had nine kills, including six in the first game to help Royal (14-3, 3-0 in league play) gain an edge in its first victory at Westlake since 1994.

“Did anybody ever stop her?” asked Royal Coach Bob Ferguson.

Not really.

Not the wildly overpowering type, Merendino angled several balls down the line or flicked them deftly off the arms of a Westlake blocker time and again.

Courtney Guerra had her usual strong match with 17 kills for Royal, but Merendino’s contribution was more than noticeable.

“I think this was our most important game,” Merendino said. “I knew I had to do something and the sets were good.”

So was Royal’s serving.

Kari Vanfleet, using a floater serve that looked like a knuckleball, had seven aces for the Highlanders.

She helped Royal overcome deficits in each of the first two games, with two aces during an 8-0 run in the first game and three aces during a 7-0 run in the second.

“That ball was juking and jiving and jumping,” Ferguson said. “I’ve never had a team go through a match that was this intense, with that kind of crowd and only miss two serves.”

Actually, Royal only had one service error.

It’s simply another step for the Highlanders, who were ranked No. 1 earlier this week in the Southern Section Division I-A poll.

The Warriors (2-1 overall and in league) led the first game, 5-4, the second game, 6-0, and the third game, 13-11.

But the lack of a consistent attack on offense hurt the Warriors.

“We did not put it away,” Westlake Coach Karen Klee said.

The Warriors were stubborn last Saturday against the Highlanders in the final of the Royal tournament, losing, 16-14, 15-7.

Poor passing plagued Westlake this time.

“They did a great job serving tough and we were not moving our feet to pass,” Klee said.

Teresa Russell, who is making a recruiting trip with Guerra to UC Irvine today, had six kills for Royal.

Tawny Thorp had eight kills for the Warriors.