Orange Coast College

Men's Volleyball: Pirates season ends with four-game loss to Rustlers

Thursday, April 23, 2009

IRVINE -- The Orange Coast College men's volleyball team gave rival Golden West just enough of an opening and the Rustlers took it en route to a 25-30, 30-28, 30-19, 30-27 semifinals win in Thursday's CCCAA Men's Volleyball State Championships, held at Irvine Valley College.

After take the opening game, the Pirates (13-9) held a 27-26 lead in Game 2, forcing the Pacific Coast Champion Rustlers (14-5) to call timeout.

From there, a couple of mistakes by the Pirates, followed by a key block by GWC's Rick Brazee, gave the Rustlers the lead for good, not only in Game 2, but the rest of the night.

"If we were somehow able to take that second game, who knows how this could have ended," OCC head coach Travis Turner. "Overall, it was a good match -- two good teams playing hard. I think Golden West picked up its passing and served much tougher down the stretch than we did and that was the difference."

Sophomore Jake Melone ended his OCC career with a match-high 24 kills, while Mike Stewart added eight and Jon Bunge and Nick Kearney each added seven. Derek Martinez anchored the defense with 12 digs, while setter Doug Astor dished out 53 assists.

For GWC, Ian McKelvie led the offense with 14 kills, while Brazee and Ryan Bagwell each added 12. McKelvie notched 12 digs, while the setting combination of Jake Maosi and Sam Morehouse combined for 54 assists.

For the third straight year, the Pirates advanced to the State Final Four, but came up just short of the championship. OCC lost in the semifinals to Long Beach City in 2007 and to Irvine Valley in the finals in 2008.

"Overall, our team really improved a lot and really came together down the stretch," Turner said. "Our sophomores are going to be missed, but we're excited about our returning players as well as some incoming players for next year."

With Game 1 tied at 24, three kills by Melone and a kill by Bunge helped highlight a 6-1 run down the stretch, giving OCC the opening game.

After the tough Game 2 setback, Coast started Game 3 strong and led 10-8 before the roof caved in on the Pirates, courtesy of a 19-4 GWC run, giving the Rustlers more than enough breathing room to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

OCC led for most of Game 4 before the Rustlers picked up their intensity and turned a 21-19 Coast advantage into a 25-23 GWC lead with a 6-2 run.

That lead would hold up the rest of the game as each point by the Pirates was answered back by the Rustlers.

Finally, leading 28-27, a pair of errant balls by the Pirates ended the match, giving the Rustlers the win.

GWC will take on Long Beach City for the state title on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at IVC.