Golden West Wins 5th Straight State Title

The Golden West men’s volleyball team won its fifth consecutive state championship Saturday at Long Beach College, but there was nothing easy about it.

Golden West was pushed to a rally-scoring fifth game, and only then secured the title when Los Angeles Pierce’s Lance Walker hit a spike long to give the Rustlers the victory, 15-6, 15-17, 14-16, 15-12, 15-13.

Scott Ogilvie had 28 kills and seven blocks and Chad Mowrey and Evan Hook each had 20 kills for Golden West (17-1).

It was the fourth consecutive title for Golden West’s fourth-year Coach Mike D’Alessandro, but his undefeated postseason record appeared in serious jeopardy.

Golden West trailed Pierce (13-5) throughout the fourth game, and didn’t pull even until Hook put one away from the left side to make it 11-11.

“I wasn’t nervous,” D’Alessandro said. “We lost two close games in the second and third and I knew we just had to settle down. And we did.”

Golden West forced a fifth game after a service ace by Nick Schneider and a kill by Jon Thompson to make it 15-12.

No team led by more than three points in the fifth game and Pierce pulled even when Walker (27 kills, nine blocks) spiked from the middle to make it 13-13.

But Golden West closed it out after Ogilvie spiked from the middle to make it 14-13, then Walker hit his final spike long.

Pierce gave Golden West fits all night. Pierce’s Ozer Ozkaya had 24 kills and 6-foot-11 middle blocker James Hemenover had 24 kills and six blocks to keep the Rustlers guessing.

Pierce setter Scott Packer had 97 assists to help Pierce come close to pulling off the big upset.

Golden West defeated Pierce in three games earlier this season and their last postseason meeting also was a blowout, with Golden West winning, 15-11, 15-3, 15-2, in last year’s state tournament semifinals.

So did Golden West take Pierce lightly?

“I don’t know maybe some guys did,” Ogilvie said. “We just dug deep. I don’t care how it happened. I just know we’ll go down as state champs and that’s all that matters.”