The Wilson Bruins were ousted from the CIF-SS playoffs on Tuesday night at Santa Margarita in three sets, 23-25, 23-25, 23-25. However, if there’s been a closer three-set sweep in the Semifinals, this writer would like to see it because this Bruin/Eagle match up was the definition of back and forth.
Kellie Woolever led the Bruins with a team-high 9 kills and 17 assists, while Kellie Culbertson and Deveney Pula added 8 kills apiece.
“This sweep doesn’t indicate how close this was,” said Wilson coach Susan Pescar. “We didn’t play as well as I’ve seen us play… we just didn’t loosen up and play.”
The first set was all Eagles early on. Middle blocker Elizabeth Riggins got Santa Margarita going with two kills and a huge solo block to open up a 11-6 lead, prompting a Wilson timeout. Out of the break, Pula, Woolever, Rebecca Strehlow and Amanda Pacheco each tallied a kill to get the Bruins back to within one, 12-11. But Wilson attack errors and strong play from outside hitter Kylie Hargreaves tilted the first set the Eagles’ way, and an 8-3 Santa Margarita run opened a 21-15 lead. Again after a Wilson timeout, Pula and Pacheco went to work, getting the Bruins back within one, 23-22 and 24-23. But after a great block from Pacheco, Eagle setter Natalie Harnill set Hargreaves for the set-winning kill.
“We didn’t bring our A-game,” said Pescar. “They did. We usually block better, read better, dig better, and play more physical. I don’t know if it was them taking us out of our game, but it wasn’t our best night.”
In the second set, it became obvious it just wasn’t the Bruins’ night.
Senior Stevey Anderson came off the bench and played a big part in the Wilson attack and her three kills helped the Bruins open a 13-6 lead. The Eagles came right back after a timeout of their own, as Hargreaves continued to pound the outside and Lindsay Mortenson came off the bench to weak havoc in the middle on a 6-1 Santa Margarita run.
Then something happened that hasn’t happened all year: the Bruins beat themselves.
Out of a timeout with the score 24-23 Santa Margarita, Wilson went back to serve only to have the chair referee blow the whistle on the Bruins for an illegal rotation, or “overlap.” The libero position for Wilson wasn’t in the correct spot, the set-winning point was awarded to the Eagles, and all the Bruin momentum built up in the beginning of the set flew right out of the gym doors.
However, even down 0-2, Wilson did what they’ve been doing all year: they battled. The two evenly-matched squads showed just how evenly matched they were in the third set with 14 ties and 8 lead changes all the way to 21-21. Everyone in the gym could feel a turning point coming, and it ended up being Hargreaves and Riggins with a big block on Culbertson to make it 23-21 Santa Margarita. A Hargreaves kill (she had a match-high 12) ended the night, 25-23.
The Bruins had all the pieces in place this year to make a run at the CIF crown, but it was not meant to be on Tuesday in the heart of the OC. It was written on all the Bruin faces that this loss is an enormous disappointment for a season that had so much promise, but that doesn’t negate 28 wins on the season and another Moore League title, their sixth in the last seven years.
Pescar and her girls could only shrug after the loss, “Sometimes you want something so bad that you forget to just get out there and play.”
Editor’s Note: Good on ‘ya, Athos! Way to make the drive down south and rep the LB! If only more Long Beach fans were as dedicated as you…
