Defending Marmonte League champs make a statement

BARNBURNER-Westlake libero Cathy Quilico makes a pass during Tuesday night's loss to Thousand Oaks. She had 45 digs. Westlake was favored to win the Marmonte League girls' volleyball championship this season, and so far they've done nothing to diminish those expectations.

Entering Tuesday night's showdown at home against rival Thousand Oaks, the Warriors were 14-1 overall and had reached the midpoint of the league schedule with six wins in six matches.

Westlake hadn't even lost a game against league competition before Thousand Oaks came to town.

But the Lancers are a proud bunch, too. Thousand Oaks is the defending Marmonte League champion, and on Tuesday night they weren't quite ready to relinquish that crown.

In a match that lasted more than two hours and featured countless momentum swings and jaw-dropping plays, Thousand Oaks defeated Westlake in five games (2225, 2523, 2518, 2325 and 15-12).

The hard-fought victory means that rather than fall two games behind Westlake in the league standings and have little shot at recapturing its title, Thousand Oaks (82, 5-1) now sits in a three-way tie for first place along with Moorpark and the Warriors.

DOWN, BUT NOT OUT-Warrior defensive specialist Alana Martinez digs a ball against Thousand Oaks. The Lancers won in five games, creating a three-way tie for first in the Marmonte League. "I didn't want to put too much pressure on them because I thought we were capable of winning," TOHS head coach James Park said. "But at the same time, I think the pressure was already in their minds."

"If we lost, we weren't going to be able to win (league) outright," Park said. "But we knew that if we won, we'd be tied for first. Still, the pressure was there, you could see it at certain moments."

Park credited Rachelle Loehner and Ellen Querrey for their play late in the match.

Querrey finished with 11 kills, Hannah Clancy added 36 assists, Deanna Elias logged 19 digs and Tori Boden chipped in with 13 kills for Thousand Oaks.

After Thousand Oaks let a big lead slip away in the fourth game, Querrey said Park convinced the players to stick together and didn't allow them to get down emotionally.

"Mr. Park helps because he calms everyone down in the huddle," Querrey said. "He doesn't get mad, he stays calm."

If any match could test Park's nerves, Tuesday's probably would.

Westlake pulled ahead for good in the first game on a point by Traci Salmonson that made the score 98. The Warriors eventually built a 20-14 lead before TOHS clawed its way back at 2422. On game point, Querrey hit a return that went out of bounds and Westlake won 25-22.

Game 2 was nip and tuck from start to finish and featured 12 ties and nine lead changes.

The Warriors sprinted out to a 16-11 lead, but Thousand Oaks quickly scored seven unanswered points. The teams continued to battle back and forth and it wasn't until Westlake's Alana Martinez hit a serve long that TOHS had prevailed 25-23.

The Lancers captured the third game 2518. In Game 4, Thousand Oaks staked itself to an 1811 lead and was on the verge of handing Westlake its first Marmonte League loss.

But behind the stellar play of Alex Johnson and Cathy Quilico, Westlake stormed back from the brink of defeat to win the fourth game 25-23.

"We knew we had had it in us to fight for it," said Johnson, who finished with 19 kills and 13 digs. "It's very different to come from behind, though, and T.O. played great."

With momentum on their side, the Warriors built a 6-3 advantage in the decisive game. In the blink of an eye, however, after a few close calls didn't go Westlake's way, Thousand Oaks was back on top, eventually winning 15-12.

"Despite the calls, we should have had a big enough lead," said Quilico, who logged 45 digs. "That's what we're supposed to do. That's what we're taught to do. Hopefully we'll get them next time."

The teams will play again in the regularseason finale at Thousand Oaks on Nov. 2.