Falcons’ season ends
LA CRESCENTA — A few moments after the season ended for the Crescenta Valley High boys’ volleyball team, Ryan Peters tried to pinpoint what happened.
The senior outside hitter couldn’t isolate the problems.
“I can’t explain it, other than we didn’t bring our ‘A’ game to the court,” said Peters, whose team was handed a 27-29, 25-14, 25-18, 25-19 loss by visiting Agoura on Friday night in a CIF Southern Section Division II first-round match. “It might have been the pressure, but I can’t explain it.”
Crescenta Valley (12-10) had worked hard to secure second place in the Pacific League this season behind Claremont. However, the Falcons ran into an Agoura squad that seemed to make the necessary adjustments to extend its season with a second-round match Tuesday against Saddleback.
Crescenta Valley, which ended its season on a two-match losing skid, couldn’t keep its momentum going after opening the match with a dramatic win in which it fought off match point three times before getting a kill by senior outside hitter/middle blocker Kyle MacDonald and a block from junior middle blocker Eric Boyd to clinch the win.
The Chargers, who placed third in the Marmonte League behind Westlake and Royal, got on a roll throughout most of the last three games. Shrewd defense and quality passing helped the Chargers (12-7) stifle the Falcons.
“Agoura settled down and they played pretty well,” Crescenta Valley Coach John Nelson said. “We never really got to where we should have been.
“We had a great week of practices and we were well prepared. We were a little off and we didn’t handle the ball the way we had [toward the end of the regular season].”
Crescenta Valley held a 6-3 lead in the second game, but the Chargers mounted a comeback to take a 17-13 lead. Agoura used a 9-1 run to even the match.
Agoura jumped out to a 9-4 lead on middle blocker Michael Hatch’s third ace of the third game. The Falcons never came close to catching the Chargers.
In the fourth game, Crescenta Valley took a 12-10 lead on a kill by Boyd. Agoura sealed the win by going on a 15-7 run.
Peters, who finished with 11 kills, said falling in the first round will sting for a little while.
“We came here to play volleyball, and it’s been the most successful season for me,” Peters said. “The fact that’s it’s over and we are not playing anymore kills me.”
