Eagles keep intensity in triumph

Bryce Alderton

The Estancia High boys volleyball team experimented with a few “new”

things in its Golden West League contest against host Westminster

Wednesday.

But the outcome was one the Eagles have become quite used to as

they near the end of their third season in the league: Winning.

Led by 6-foot-5 junior Dallas Kopp, who blasted a match-high 14

kills from his middle blocker post, the Eagles pulled away from the

Lions midway through each of the first two games before bursting to a

sizable edge from the start of Game 3 and finished with a 25-16,

25-15, 25-15 triumph.

Estancia (16-9, 9-0 in league) claimed its 21st straight league

match and 32 of 33 since entering the circuit for the 2003 season.

The Eagles, ranked seventh in CIF Southern Section Division III,

entered the match after placing eighth out of 16 teams, several

Division I and II opponents, in last weekend’s Santa Barbara

Tournament of Champions.

“Our goal was not to drop a level down,” Eagles’ Coach Tracey

Ingraham said. “Westminster was a tough team to run consistent

schemes, but we were aggressive and didn’t let balls drop on the

ground.”

Junior Shaun Markley led the Eagles, who remained on track for at

least a share of their third straight league title, with 12 digs

while junior Alex LaGrand tallied three solo blocks.

On the offensive end, Kopp kept the Lions (3-11, 2-7) on their heels with powerful strokes that found different places on the floor.

“We wanted to show everyone we can play hard every game,” Kopp

said.

The Eagles fought through three ties before either team reached 10

points in each of the first two games.

A Scott Markley kill gave the Eagles an 8-7 lead in the first game

before Estancia went on a 13-4 run. Holmes tallied three of his

match-high five ace serves in that span while Kopp pounded three

kills in that time.

Westminster took advantage of five unforced errors in the early

going of Game 2 to even the Eagles at 9.

Estancia remained aggressive, tallying three kills in the next

four points before Kopp and junior Leonard Juska combined on a stuff

block for a 14-11 advantage.

Timmy Lue pulled the Lions within 14-12 with a kill off an

overpass, but Westminster pulled no closer.

An illegal rotation call on Westminster put the ball in the hands

of Estancia’s Ryan Watson.

The junior served five straight points, including one ace, as the

Eagles built a 19-12 lead.

Estancia scored nine straight points to take a 9-1 lead in the

third game on the serving of Shaun Markley, who tallied two aces in

that span.

The Lions chipped away and came within 13-9, taking advantage of

three straight Eagle errors at one stage.

At 13-9, a Westminster player was whistled for stepping under the

net, giving possession back to Estancia.

Holmes promptly served two straight aces -- one landed on the back

line and another found the corner. Holmes then served long, but two

straight kills from Kopp gave the Eagles a comfortable 18-10 cushion

they could build on the rest of the way.

Ingraham said the Eagles didn’t change their strategy in the third

game as opposed to the first two games.

“In rally scoring, it’s hard to jump ahead fast,” she said. “I

wanted our team to play well and consistent.

“There were new plays we were working on and I tried to give some

of the players who might not get the chance to hit as much an

opportunity.”

Senior Tom Fryslie tallied one kill in the third game while Watson

in the first game and Juska in Game 2 manned the outsides.

Junior Ian Lamb contributed to Estancia’s defense.

“I want them to have fun running the plays, smile and be

successful, not always setting the same players,” Ingraham said.

Kopp said the Lions hit “a lot better” Wednesday than they did in

the teams’ prior meeting this season, a three-game Eagle sweep.

But Westminster’s hitting merely provided more opportunities for

the Eagles’ defense.

“It gave us better chances for blocks,” Kopp said.

The Eagles learned a few things from playing in Santa Barbara last

weekend against perennial volleyball powers, Kopp said.

“In Santa Barbara, you couldn’t give up strings of points or else

you would find yourselves down a few points,” he said. “We learned

you have to stay on top of them.”

Estancia hosts Saddleback at 3:30 p.m. Monday in the first of

three remaining league matches. The Eagles face host Santa Ana

Tuesday before concluding with crosstown rival Costa Mesa at 3:30

p.m. May 5 in the Eagles’ gym.