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Short-handed Lancers=20
win tournament
By Erik =
Boal Staff=20
Writer
Posted: 08/13/2011=20
10:27:16 PM PDT
Updated: 08/13/2011 =
10:33:58=20
PM PDT
Thousand Oaks didn't need five games Saturday to =
defeat=20
rival Harvard-Westlake, but the host Lancers =
approached the=20
final of their girls' volleyball tournament the same =
way as=20
they did the deciding game of their last meeting.
After outlasting the Wolverines in the playoffs =
Aug. 6 at=20
the Oxnard tournament, Thousand Oaks built an early =
six-point=20
lead in the rematch and cruised to a 25-11 victory in =
the=20
championship.
Thousand Oaks' performance was even more impressive =
considering it played without returning athletes =
Rachel=20
Cookus, Chelsea Cooper, Hannah Porter and Danae =
Theiler, all=20
of whom are sidelined with injuries.
Senior outside hitter Karis Schneider played libero =
in=20
Cookus' absence, but juniors Kendall Frisoli and =
Kaitlynn Grim=20
along with seniors Summer Esseff, Jillian Johnson and =
Halley=20
Weinstock were more than enough targets for setter =
Erin Foley=20
against a young Harvard-Westlake lineup.
"I think it was just our chemistry carrying over =
from (a=20
three-game semifinal victory over Ventura)," said =
Frisoli, who=20
had five kills in the final.
"We didn't have five games this time, we only had =
one game,=20
so we knew we had to take it to them and push hard =
from the=20
beginning. We just gave it our all because they're a =
good team=20
and in one game, we knew anything could happen. We =
really=20
wanted to win our own tournament because we haven't =
won it in=20
a while."
Thousand Oaks and Harvard-Westlake will meet again =
Aug. 30=20
in their annual scrimmage, with
the Lancers hoping to be at full strength. But=20
Saturday's performance, which included a 22-25, 25-19, =
15-11=20
win over Ventura in the semifinals that followed a =
25-19,=20
25-19 quarterfinal triumph over Buena, was an =
indication of=20
the Lancers' depth.
"That made us feel good that we can still beat =
tough teams=20
even without all of our best players," Frisoli =
said.
"It showed us we can still push through and win =
games no=20
matter who is on the court."
Work in progress for Wolverines
With only three returnees, two of which played =
Saturday,=20
Harvard-Westlake will be challenged in pursuit of =
defending=20
its Mission League title.
Following a 1-3 pool-play record Friday, the =
Wolverines=20
swept Thousand Oaks' 'B' team, league rival Notre Dame =
and=20
Valencia to reach the final, but inexperience hurt=20
Harvard-Westlake against a veteran Thousand Oaks =
lineup.
"I'm pleased with the results of the day leading up =
to the=20
final," Wolverines coach Adam Black said.
"Along the way, they executed some of the things =
we've been=20
trying to get across to them in terms of getting into =
our=20
systems. But we need to be executing at a higher =
level."
We need to be executing better when it counts."
Valencia ends on high note
After sweeping Harvard-Westlake in pool play =
Friday,=20
Valencia suffered a 25-18, 25-23 semifinal setback =
Saturday to=20
the Wolverines.
But the Vikings, who held off Camarillo 27-29, =
25-18, 15-13=20
in the quarterfinals, ended the day with a 25-15 =
third-place=20
victory over Ventura, receiving strong showings from =
Serena=20
LeDuff, Sydney Striff, Carly Carapella and Delaney=20
Knudsen.
"Other than those four points at the end, (against =
Ventura)=20
was as good as we've played all summer," Valencia =
coach Ray=20
Sanchez said.
"They came off a tough, emotional loss to T.O., but =
as far=20
as what we did on our side of the net, I couldn't have =
been=20
happier. Our serving efficiency and consistency was=20
unbelievable."
Tough conclusion for Notre Dame
After securing the top seed for the playoffs, Notre =
Dame's=20
bid to win another summer title was derailed following =
a=20
28-26, 25-23 loss to Harvard-Westlake.
The Knights rebounded to defeat Camarillo 23-25, =
26-24,=20
15-12, before falling 25-20 to Buena.
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