Santa Margarita Rebounds, Advances to Quarterfinals

After being pummeled in the first two games of Tuesday’s Southern Section Division I second-round playoff match, Santa Margarita came back to defeat Simi Valley Royal, 7-15, 10-15, 15-4, 15-12, 15-5.

Santa Margarita (14-5) advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal against Irvine.

The Eagles were beaten in every possible way in the first two games, but after a lecture from Coach Eddie Rapp after Game 2, everything changed.

“After the second game in the team room, coach just told us to show some heart and show some character,” said the Eagles’ John Costigan, who had 19 kills.

The Eagles showed plenty, cruising past the Highlanders in the third game, coming back from an 8-4 deficit in the fourth, and finally coasting past Royal in Game 5.

Unlike the first two games, Santa Margarita got its blocking in order and kept the hitting errors to a minimum. The Eagles instead, took advantage of poor Highlander hitting.

The Eagles went up, 8-2, in Game 5, and put it away after a Costigan kill and three Royal errors.

Dustin Creager and Blake Robinson led the Eagles with 21 kills each and Damien Scott added 15.