Westlake’s Victory Over Royal Almost Like a Shot in the Arm

They were swooning from a bout with influenza, but members of the Westlake High girls’ volleyball team refused to be staggered.

Instead, the Warriors defeated Royal, 15-8, 12-15, 15-10, 15-10, in a Marmonte League match Thursday night at Westlake.

Katie Meledy (healthy) had 15 kills, Tawny Thorp (also healthy) added 13 and Amanda Tapking (sick) had 11 kills for the Warriors (6-1, 5-0 in league play), who took a decisive step toward winning their second consecutive league title.

“I feel like I’m going to fall on the floor,” Tapking said. “But that’s OK. They’re our biggest rival.”

Brenn Larson (also sick) had eight kills, all in the final two games as the Warriors broke away from Royal (7-7, 4-1).

“We don’t have superstars,” said Coach Rey Reyes, in his first year at Westlake. “We have team unity and that showed.”

Westlake (1996, 1997 and 1999) and Royal (1998) are the only teams to win Marmonte League titles the last four years. They were part of a four-way tie for first in 1995.

Royal had trouble with Thorp’s serving, which left the Highlanders scrambling time and again.

“Her serve was phenomenal,” said Royal Coach Travis Ferguson. “They were counting on her for about three or four points whenever she went back there.”

Tanya Grover and Andrea Burke each had 15 kills for Royal, and Carly Huffman had 11 despite playing with a bruised knee.