Wendt, Huntington Beach Outlast El Toro in Five Games

Huntington Beach faced a record-breaking performance and blew a six-point lead in the fifth game, but still outlasted El Toro to win a five-game nonleague boys’ volleyball match Wednesday at El Toro High.

Matt Wendt, who has signed with San Diego State, had 33 kills and six blocks to help the Oilers win, 15-7, 14-16, 15-12, 12-15, 16-14, in a match that lasted 2 hours 40 minutes.

Jimmy Pelzel, who returned from a recruiting trip to Arizona this week, had a school-record 47 kills and UC Irvine-bound outside hitter Kyle Martin added 28 kills and five blocks for the Chargers (0-1), who trailed, 9-3, in the fifth game before rallying.

Zach Karlan (11 kills, 13 blocks) and setter Scott Panaro (84 assists) blocked Wendt on consecutive points to help El Toro score 11 of 14 points to move ahead, 14-12.

Wendt erased that match point with a kill for a side out to start a three-point run for the Oilers (1-2). But El Toro fought off three match points before a hitting error finally gave Huntington Beach the match.

“We needed this,” Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli said.

After losing their first two matches, including one to Newport Harbor without Wendt, who served a one-game suspension for receiving a red card in a season-opening loss to Woodbridge, the Oilers showed off their scrappy defense and balance Wednesday.

Huntington Beach’s Aaron Gale (21 kills, 24 digs) and middle blockers Jeff Olsen (15 kills) and Phil Ventimilia (13 kills) highlighted a balanced attack fueled by setter Drew Janovick’s 85 assists.

El Toro played without Justin Burden, who is out for at least another week with a sprained ankle.

“He’s one of our primary passers and our third-best attacker,” El Toro Coach Michelle Kyman said. “But give Huntington Beach their props, they were digging everything. Hopefully, by the end of the year we can be that kind of team.”