Men’s volleyball: Pirates remain unbeaten

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Their story goes a little something like this: In the

year 2002, a talented group of individuals came together as a team and

produced Orange Coast College’s first undefeated men’s volleyball regular

season.

On Wednesday night, when the Pirates (21-0, 17-0 in the OEC) faced a

challenge from district rival Golden West, they depended on sophomore

leadership, and again became as one to win, 30-28, 30-22, 28-30, 32-30,

at Coast. The Pirates, who clinched their second straight OEC title April

10, have lost just five games this season, one against the OCC alumni.

After winning an intense Game 4, the Bucs picked up their coach, Chuck

Cutenese, and threw him in the pool amid the Pirates’ biggest celebration

of the season.

“The biggest thing has been the leadership from our sophomores, and

I’m talking about all of them,” said Cutenese, who was the setter on

OCC’s 1987 state championship team that went 16-0 in the OEC, 29-2

overall. “They’ve been working on their game individually and they kind

of came together. It’s not a real emotional team, which I’m not used to

having. It has been an adjustment for me to let them just play and not

let them have emotional excitement. This is their biggest celebration.”

Against the Rustlers, the Pirates received a lift from the return of

sophomore team captain Soeren Schneider, a 6-foot-6 outside hitter from

Germany, who missed the last two matches with a sprained ankle. Schneider

led the Pirates with 15 kills and gave his teammates encouragement when

the Rustlers reached game point in Game 4, 29-27.

“We were playing afraid,” said Schneider, who was inspired by a

surprise visit from older brother Lars, who arrived from Germany

Wednesday. “We gave away too many easy errors. I just told them that we

had to calm down and play our game.”

And so they did. The Bucs received a sideout on a Golden West net

violation, making their deficit, 29-28. Then, with key freshman reserve

Miguel Galeana serving, sophomore outside hitter Jeff Taylor gave the

right touch on a kill that went untouched on the Rustlers’ side for a

point. The set came from sophomore Scott Winant (57 assists).

The Pirates seized the momentum, as sophomore team captain John

Campbell and Taylor teamed up for a stuff block to give OCC game point.

Golden West responded with a sideout, but the Rustlers’ Allan Vince

missed the ensuing serve, to make it 31-30, OCC.

Winant served and then later set for 6-8 freshman Zach Jardine (14

kills, five digs), who slammed the ball that caused a Rustlers’ net

violation.

Golden West sophomore Brian Costanzo was charged with a yellow card

midway through Game 4, which gave OCC a point and a 22-21 lead.

The Pirates have earned a bye in the Southern California Regionals and

will host the state semifinal match April 26 at 8 p.m., against the

winner of the match between Grossmont and the South Coast Conference

runner-up.

The state title match will also be at Coast, April 27 at 7 p.m.