Westlake Blocks Royal’s Title Bid

It’s no secret that Westlake High can dig and pass better than most teams in Southern California.

But an addendum is needed. The Warriors can also block. Oh, and one other thing. They can also win championship matches.

The Warriors all but clinched the Marmonte League title by downing Royal, the defending league champion, 10-15, 15-13, 12-15, 15-13, 15-8, Thursday at Westlake.

If the Warriors (15-2, 10-0 in league play) defeat either Simi Valley or Agoura next week, they win their fourth league title in five years.

The back-row defense was present and accounted for, as it has been all season.

But it was punctuated this time by a front-row presence few knew the Warriors had.

The effort was particularly impressive because Royal owned a height advantage at nearly every position.

Amanda Tapking and Jennine Porter, both juniors, took turns turning away Royal attempts, Tapking finishing with nine blocks, Porter with eight.

It became obvious that better blocking was needed while studying tape of the Warriors’ four-game victory against Royal earlier in the month, a victory largely credited to the scrappy, diving, digging defense.

“They were a good hitting team, but what we needed to do was stop them at the net,” Tapking said.

They did, again and again. And again. And again.

The Warriors outblocked Royal, 18-11, including a dominant 7-2 edge in the fifth game.

Three Royal players established career highs in kills--Tanya Grover with 23, Amanda Kiser with 20 and Andreja Balach with 17--but the trio was held to a combined five kills in the fifth game.

Westlake’s blocking was “pretty good,” Coach Bob Ferguson of Royal said. “But we hit straight into it.

“We didn’t adjust.”

Westlake was accurate on offense when it needed to be. Lauren Mills delivered 19 kills and Alexis Varian adding 14.

The Highlanders (19-5, 8-2) appeared to have control of the match by winning the third game on an ace by Kristi-Lynn Nicholas.

But Westlake came back in the fourth game, overcoming a 13-10 deficit and forcing a fifth game after two consecutive blocks by Porter broke a 13-13 tie.

In the fifth game, Westlake jumped out to a 7-2 lead on the strength of four blocks. Royal closed to within, 7-6, but a block by Tapking pushed the lead to 8-6. The match ended on a kill by Mills, a setter-outside hitter who also had 40 assists.

Westlake, which won consecutive Marmonte League titles from 1995-97, doesn’t want to call itself a champion yet.

“Not until [next] Thursday,” Coach Karen Suppan Klee said. “At the end of league.”

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ROUNDUP

Chatsworth’s pinpoint serving came through at key moments in a five-game victory over Taft. Roundup, Page 18