Westlake Falls Short in Regional Final

IRVINE — The postseason delivered everything but a championship.

Seeking at least one notable title to cap its season, the Westlake High boys volleyball team instead lost in four dramatic games Saturday evening.

Colby Magorien notched 12 kills and three blocks and Keats Stanley collected 12 kills, but Westlake fell to Corona Del Mar, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-20, in the CIF Division II SoCal Regional Volleyball Championship at Irvine Valley College.

The Warriors, who lost two weeks ago in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs, started the match hot, carried the fight throughout, but couldn't quite match the balance or consistency of Corona Del Mar.

"Our passing let us down a little," said senior setter Travis Magorien, who racked up 32 assists. "They (the Sea Kings) were more consistent in their serve-receive game, and that made a difference as the match went along.

"But we fought hard in every game, and gave everything we had. The playoffs have been so much fun, because we had to chance to play so many great teams. We just came up a little bit short tonight."

Westlake coach Doug Magorien echoed those sentiments.

"I thought it was a great match," he said. "We played well throughout, and so obviously did they. They were just a little better with their defense and with their serve-receive. If we come up with just a couple more plays in Game 3, maybe the match goes five games.

"I couldn't be prouder of my guys the way they fought for every game."

Westlake, the runner-up in a regional final for the second time in three years, closes out at 26-6. Corona Del Mar, which won the CIF-SS Division 2 championship earlier this month, ends its season at 32-4.

The Sea Kings relied on balance. Parker Brown had nine kills, Jack Reed and Brennan Anderson each had eight kills and Spencer Haly had five kills.

Westlake's fast start in Game 1 ensued right after Corona Del Mar opened with the first point of the match. The Warriors ripped off the next seven points, including two kills by Colby Magorien and a kill and block by Dimitri Gorence.

Colby finished with five kills and three blocks in the game to close out the 25-17 victory.

Corona Del Mar's 25-20 win in Game 2 was sparked by a 7-1 spurt that opened an 11-8 edge. Leading 15-14, the Sea Kings tallied four of the next five points, helped by two Westlake hitting errors.

Then came the pivotal Game 3.

The back-and-fourth set had the two teams swapping leads before Westlake pulled into a 23-23 tie.

But Corona Del Mar grabbed a 24-23 lead on a kill by Brennan Anderson, and closed out the win when Westlake's Jacob Delson found the net on a kill attempt.

Anderson was decisive in Game 4.

He tallied three kills in succession to give Corona Del Mar a 24-20 edge.



Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/may/28/westlake-falls-short-in-regional-final/?vcspreps=1#ixzz1O3j2dz1D
- vcstar.com