Despite suffering another in a series of first-round losses in
the Central Coast Section playoffs, the Live Oak High boys
volleyball team
’s coach and best player couldn’t help but reflect on the
satisfaction of another outstanding season.
Despite suffering another in a series of first-round losses in the Central Coast Section playoffs, the Live Oak High boys volleyball team’s coach and best player couldn’t help but reflect on the satisfaction of another outstanding season.
On Thursday, the Acorns dropped an ultra-close 25-21, 26-24, 25-23 decision to visiting Leland in the CCS playoffs at Live Oak High.
Live Oak has never won a CCS playoff game in boys volleyball.
“I’m not disappointed at all,” Acorn coach James Uthes said. “I would have liked to win a first round, but we played well. I thought the guys played hard, played well. Leland’s a good team.”
“It’s kind of hard because this is two years in a row for me,” senior Chris Deem said. But we had a good season — 14-0 (in league) is always a good season.”
Perhaps it was the level of play and the tight nature of the competition that salved the Acorns’ wounds.
Except for the first game, Live Oak had a real shot at winning against the talented Chargers.
Seeded No. 9 in the CCS playoffs against eighth-seeded Leland, Live Oak got a home game because it won a league title — the Tri-County Athletic League championship.
But Live Oak exhibited the jitters in the first game, allowing Leland to rattle off 10 straight points to establish control of the contest.
Live Oak came back behind Deem, who had 11 kills and seven blocks, and its big frontline against the smaller Chargers. Down 19-8, the Acorns pulled within 23-20 before Leland closed it out.
In Game 2, Live Oak held a 22-19 lead and was tied at 24-all before Leland rallied twice to put the game away.
And, in the final game, the Acorns built a 23-17 lead before Leland scored the final eight points to close out the match.
Live Oak was victimized by a host of service errors, a spotty setting performance and a series of key mistakes late in the games.
Leland, which finished second in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, was the higher seeded team because of its higher rated league and tougher schedule.
And, the Chargers roster was chock full of miniature leapers, 5-foot-8 and smaller, who rained shots at Deem and the Acorn frontline.
Live Oak’s Royce Newcomb, Ryan Siebert, Cameron Bassett and Mike Strokis all had fine performances for the Acorns in Thursday’s contest.
