Revenge Is Sweet for Royal in Sweep

The Royal High boys’ volleyball team had a score to settle Friday night.

So, revenge was a factor . . . and Mira Costa wasn’t.

“We lost three times to Costa last year,” said Cam Dickson, who led the Highlanders with 11 kills and seven blocks. “We definitely wanted revenge and we showed it in the first game.”

Royal posted a shutout in the first game en route to a 15-0, 15-13, 15-6 nonleague victory over Mira Costa at Royal High.

The Highlanders (10-0), ranked No. 2 in Southern Section Division I, were more energetic than the famous bunny in the nine-minute first game--whooping, yelling and slapping hands with every ace, kill and block.

Mira Costa (8-5), No. 9 in Division I, managed only three side-outs in the first game and appeared overmatched against Royal, which was eliminated by Mira Costa in the Division I quarterfinals in five games last year.

“[The first game] was surprising,” said Dickson, who served the final five points of the first game. “Phenomenal. It was great.”

The Highlanders’ boisterous enthusiasm made a sparsely filled gymnasium sound like a packed house.

But the party quieted a bit in the second game, when Royal committed eight service errors.

“When you play a game like that first one, which was almost a perfect game, you’re bound to make mistakes sooner or later,” Coach Bob Ferguson said.

Jason McDaniel added 10 kills for Royal and Ryan Moberly had nine. Matt Janousek had 34 assists.