OCC bound for final

IRVINE — Perhaps only a coach would describe “Kobe Bryant mode” as a playing state in need of correction.

Others observing the Los Angeles Lakers star lead his team on its current NBA postseason quest might consider such critical thinking blasphemous.

But in the close-knit realm of the Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team, where adversity has become more welcome than good fortune and praise is merely an obstacle to the ultimate championship goal, Coach Travis Turner’s anti-Kobe sentiments seemed somehow fitting, if not completely understood.

“Kevin [Welch] gets in Kobe Bryant mode, where, sometimes, he tries to do too much,” Turner said after the Pirates prevailed for a 30-24, 31-29, 26-30, 30-20 victory over Santa Monica in the semifinals of the community college state championships Thursday night at Irvine Valley College.

“I think he did that in the third game [loss],” Turner said. “But in the fourth game, he settled down.”

Welch’s play, some might think, was deserving of Bryant comparisons, as the 6-foot-2 outside hitter out of Corona del Mar High amassed a match-high 27 kills, while adding four blocks and two ace serves.

Even Welch, who said he had heard Turner use the term before, was quick to redirect its context in a more positive direction.

“Kobe, man, did you guys see him [Wednesday] night?,” said Welch, referring to the NBA MVP candidate’s 49 points in a playoff win over the Denver Nuggets. “What Kobe has gone through the last couple years, I’ve tried to put that together for this team.”

Welch was referring to Bryant’s perseverance in the face of mounting adversity, something these Pirates have come to embrace.

“Last year [when the Pirates lost in the state semifinals] we had 10 sophomores, but this year we have only three,” said Welch, whose team (15-6) will meet defending champion Irvine Valley in Saturday’s title match at 7 p.m. at IVC. “The confidence for this team, early in the year, wasn’t as high as it is right now, but that’s adversity,” Welch said. “For us, it’s all about winning, no matter how good or bad you play. We probably won’t be favored to win Saturday [the Pirates have lost to IVC in their two meetings this season], but it has been like this the whole year. We just want to win. That’s all.”

Welch and his teammates made that statement early Thursday, seizing a 5-2 lead behind three Welch blocks and two Welch kills.

“It was a really good start for us,” said Turner, who has guided the Pirates to their first title match since 2002. “We knew what they wanted to do to start and we matched Kevin up with their best hitter.”

OCC has not won a state title since 1994, four seasons after Turner was a player on the Pirates’ back-to-back state championship squads of 1989-90. OCC has won five state crowns in 11 previous trips to the title match.

After leading the entire way in Game 1, OCC won a seesaw Game 2, in which they last trailed, 20-19.

OCC led, 15-12, in Game 3, but let it slip away.

Santa Monica (11-6) led, 11-10, in Game 4, but couldn’t contain the scrappy Pirates, who received 14 kills and five block assists from sophomore outside hitter Grant Keene, as well as a match-high 16 digs from freshman libero Andrew Pizula.

Pizula’s play was singled out by Turner, as well as Welch.

“I thought Pizula was a real key,” Turner said. “I thought he controlled the match with his passing and those 16 digs are the most he has had all season.”

Said Welch, “[Pizula] played absolutely incredible for us. The last two matches, he has stepped up so incredibly big for us. He’s definitely one of those guys who has stepped up and helped us out big-time, immensely.”

Freshman setter Corey Ferraro had 49 assists and 6-6 freshman middle blocker Mike Stewart added 10 kills for OCC.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.