Sailors quiet Bruins

NEWPORT BEACH — Before the girls’ volleyball match, Newport Harbor High Coach Dan Glenn exchanged words with Long Beach Wilson Coach Susan Pescar.

“He told me, ‘I’m getting you back,’ ” said Pescar as her Bruins were about to face the fourth-seeded Sailors in a CIF Southern Section Division I-AA second-round playoff match on the road.

Glenn wasn’t kidding.

After losing twice to Pescar in boys’ playoff matches in recent years, Glenn’s girls came out and showed the young Bruins in a match of runs that Newport Harbor would zoom past them at the end.

The Bruins’ faithful continued to shout, “Row, row, row your boat,” but the Sailors killed the English nursery rhyme with booming shots. The Bruins had enough of them in the fourth game and the Sailors didn’t just gently send them back to Long Beach, they demoralized them with a 25-21, 21-25, 28-26, 25-8 victory Thursday night.

“We’re not a bad team and they made us look bad, seriously,” said Pescar, who has coached three teams to section final appearances since 2001. “I was kind of hoping we could get a little further. This is honestly the first time we’ve been taken out other than in the quarters and semis since I’ve been [at Wilson]. This is my eighth year. So, congratulations [Newport Harbor].”

Pescar made sure to praise Glenn personally afterward, hugging the 22nd year coach before he could talk to his Sailors (25-3). They were busy celebrating after surviving a second-round scare.

Jamie Heenan, who finished with 15 kills and 16 digs, admitted Newport Harbor was worried after the Bruins (20-11) were on the cusp of taking Game 3 and their second straight game to go up, 2-1.

“We were kind of freaking out,” said the senior outsider hitter. “Coach Glenn told us about not trying to freak out when things aren’t going your way. Coach Glenn has always been talking about this is the year that we would do it.”

Reaching the section final for the first time since 2003 was the last thing on Glenn’s mind. Getting out of the second round was all he was concerned about after his Sailors lost at home in the second round last year to Vista Murrieta.

In the fierce Division I-AA any team can beat any team. Check the first-round action with two at-large teams getting past two league champs, one of those being second-seeded Vista Murrieta.

Next for Newport Harbor is a quarterfinal match Saturday at Dana Hills (20-11), which advanced by upsetting sixth-ranked Orange Lutheran, 26-28, 25-13, 25-21, 24-26, 15-10, Thursday.

“We’re playing a good team no matter what,” said Glenn, whose Sunset League champions’ first playoff road match is against the South Coast League’s third-place team.

Newport Harbor should advance to the semifinals and likely face No. 1 Mira Costa if its players continue to excel on the court.

The Sailors showcased their usual balanced attack, with opposite Megan Munce (15 kills, 10 digs), middle blocker Alex Penewell (11 kills), hitter Mary Buckingham (10 kills, seven digs) and senior setter Alesha Young (35 assists, 10 digs, two blocks) contributing.

The Sailors’ bench also stepped up against the Moore League’s second-place team. Middle blocker Katie Thompson added eight kills and Katie Lawler had four service aces.

Lawler recorded three straight aces in the first game, allowing Newport Harbor to go on a 13-3 run to take Game 1.

“She took us out of our good passing mode,” said Pescar, whose best player came off the bench in outside hitter Janisa Johnson (10 kills, one block). “That’s a big thing. You cannot afford to allow somebody to sort of take you to the cleaners on a serve.”

Especially after the opposing coach told you he was going to beat you before the match.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.