CdM graduates from Harvard

Joseph Boo

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - No. 2 Harvard-Westlake High’s girls volleyball

team tried to beat visiting Corona del Mar for the third time this year

at Saturday’s Division III second round match in the State Regional. It

didn’t have a chance.

A determined third-seed Sea Kings team turned in a superb effort

resulting in a shocking, 15-8, 15-3, 15-7, sweep of Harvard-Westlake

(24-7).

“We executed very well,” CdM Coach Steve Conti said. “We got great play

from all six people.”

This was a huge win for CdM (21-10), not only because it propels it into

the semifinals against No. 1 Bishop Montgomery, but the Sea Kings finally

defeated a nemesis which turned CdM away in the CIF Division II

semifinals, and in the San Marcos Tournament.

“It could not be better,” CdM’s Dimitra Havriluk, who led CdM with 20

kills, said. “We did so much work this week. We wanted it really bad.”

“We lost to Harvard-Westlake twice this year,” Conti said. “So we’re

getting a big monkey off our backs.”

The match started like reruns of previous matches, with Harvard-Westlake

taking a 7-5 lead with its imposing front-line.

Who would’ve figured though that a sideout from a Harvard-Westlake missed

set would lead to a 20-1 CdM run over the next two games?

Jamie Brownell and Havriluk tied the match with kills. After four

sideouts, Jacqueline Becker came up, served an ace, and racked up seven

consecutive points.

The Sea Kings’ defense was exemplary from this point. Meghan Gallagher

got a tough dig on the 11th point that led to a kill from Lindsay

Anstandig. And on the very next point, Anstandig returned the favor with

a dig that Marissa Becker put away.

“Their defense played tough,” Harvard-Westlake Coach Jess Quiroz said,

“and they swung at everything. They played flawless. We didn’t.”

CdM’s run carried over into the second game, where the Sea Kings took a

10-0 lead. A dazed Harvard-Westlake team finally awoke behind a

determined Courtney Schultz, who had three kills in a 3-1 run.

But CdM got the ball back, and Jacqueline Becker’s served out to win the

third game, 15-3.

With the Wolverines’ season on the line, Harvard-Westlake took a 4-0 lead

to start the third game. But CdM responded again. At 5-2, Havriluk served

an ace, and Brownell and Anstandig tied the game up. The run wasn’t over

though. Brownell had two more kills, Marissa Becker one, and Havriluk

another ace, and CdM suddenly led, 9-5, in the blink of an eye.

“Volleyball is a game of momentum,” Conti said. “And we talked before the

match about weathering the storm. We did a good job doing that against

Harvard-Westlake.”

All the momentum was on CdM’s side, and the three-game sweep was

inevitable.

Besides Havriluk, Brownell and Gallagher contributed 13 and 10 kills for

the Sea Kings. It was Marissa Becker and Anstandig’s play, though, that

allowed CdM to pull off the surprising sweep. Becker had 15 assists and

four kills. Her sister, Jacqueline, led CdM with 34 assists.

“Marissa Becker was outstanding,” Conti said.

“For Anstandig, this is the first match she started. It’s never too late

to earn a starting job. Her number was called, and she came through with

a steady match.”

The Sea Kings’ will have an even tougher opponent, when it travels to

meet Division III-AA champion Bishop Montgomery Tuesday night in the

semifinals. But after Harvard-Westlake, CdM is finding the underdog role

pretty comfortable.

“We started fired up,” Havriluk sad about the Harvard-Westlake match. “It

was all on the line. We had nothing to lose. They were the favorites.

They had everything to lose.”

“We’re semifinalists,” Conti said. “Nobody expected us in state. We have

nothing to lose. We’re very relaxed.”