Wolverines Look to Strike It Big

Thankfully for Harvard-Westlake High, the girls’ volleyball state championship match today is based on blocks and kills, not strikes and spares.

Deciding to break away from volleyball for a bit, Coach Jess Quiroz took the Wolverines bowling after practice on Thursday.

The bowling alley survived . . . barely.

Anna Nesser rolled a team-best 119. Quiroz had 111. Courtney Schultz, one of the top juniors in the nation, apparently chose the right sport. She bowled an 84.

“They’re not bowlers, I can tell you that,” Quiroz said. “They were almost putting holes in the floor. I thought they were going to kick us out.”

The most important part of the afternoon was accomplished.

The Wolverines have been playing volleyball since Aug. 1, the first day they were allowed to practice before heading to a preseason tournament in Hawaii.

Four months later, they can claim the Division III state championship by defeating Los Gatos (24-9) today at Cypress College.

“We’re ready to get this [match] going,” Quiroz said. “We’re kind of losing patience.”

Thus the trip to the bowling alley.

“I thought we’d do something a little different and go have fun,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Harvard-Westlake (26-2) has been on a tear in the state playoffs, sweeping three opponents and not allowing more than eight points in a game.

Schultz has been nearly unstoppable in the middle, delivering 18 kills against San Diego University and 15 against Oakhurst Yosemite.

Karalyn Kuchenbecker has been near-flawless, with 18 kills against Yosemite and 11 against University.

Los Gatos advanced through the tougher Northern Regional. Five of the top six ranked teams in Division III were in the north.

Los Gatos, seeded No. 1 in the regional, survived a four-game match with San Jose Presentation in the regional semifinals and swept Sonoma Valley in the regional championship.

Harvard-Westlake, seeded No. 1 in the Southern Regional, won the state title in 1995.