Oilers fall to Mater Dei in semifinal match

The Huntington Beach High girls’ volleyball team’s bid for an

appearance at this weekend’s CIF Southern Section Division I-A

championship final fell one match short, as second-seeded Mater Dei

defeated the third-seeded Oilers, 15-7, 15-4, 6-15, 15-6, Tuesday at Huntington Beach High.

The Monarchs, who won their 20th match of the season to improve to

20-2 overall, cruised in the first two games. However, for as listless as

Huntington Beach was in the first two game, the Oilers displayed the same

emotion and intensity that earned them the Sunset League championship.

Mater Dei actually held a 4-2 lead in game No. 3, but the Oilers

finished with a flurry, and outscored the Monarchs, 11-2, down the

stretch. Middle blocker Serena Bountour delivered a pair of big kills to

ignite the home crowd, and a Lindsey Vernand kill put the Oilers at match

point, and the Oilers wrapped up the win on a Mater Dei hitting error.

The Monarchs regained command in the fourth game, jumping out to leads

of 8-0 and 10-1, before Huntington made one final charge and pulled to

within 10-5.

The Oilers, who finished their season at 18-5, defeated Beverly Hills,

Rubidoux and two-time defending CIF champion Newport Harbor en route to

the semifinal round.

“We would have liked a different outcome tonight, but I thought we had

a real good season,” Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli said. “This

team did a great job in winning what is a tough, tough Sunset League, and

they have a lot to be proud of.”

Bountour was named MVP in the Sunset League. Named first team from

Huntington Beach were outside hitter Jennifer Gardikas and setter Julie

Atkinson, while Vernand and Marissa Aston were named second team.

It was the final match for seven Oiler seniors, including Bountour,

Gardikas, Atkinson, Aston, Lindsay Ratowsky, Turi Wilson and Jackie

Hinsche.

Bountour and Gardikas led Huntington in kills Tuesday with 10 apiece.

Other members of Huntington Beach’s Sunset League championship team

include Allison Freeman, Martha Gardikas, Anya Ferry, Danielle Larman,

Katelyn Ciarelli, Devin Fowler and Tiana Salazar.