OCC’s season ends in semis

IRVINE — The Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team dug deep to reach its third straight state final four, but it was the digging ability of rival Golden West that ended the Pirates’ season Thursday night.

Golden West overcame what freshman outside hitter and former Costa Mesa High standout Ryan Bagwell said were some opening-game jitters, to claim a 25-30, 30-28, 30-19, 30-27 semifinal triumph at Irvine Valley College.

It was the third win for the Rustlers (14-6) in as many tries against Orange Coast (13-9), which surprised Moorpark in five games Tuesday on the road to return to the four-team championships, where it fell in the title match last season.

“It was a great season,” said Turner, who said the Rustlers consistently earned an edge in their three meetings with defense.

“[The Rustlers] out-dug us every single time,” Turner said.

Turner also cited 21 service errors, including seven in Game 2, with helping Golden West, which by virtue of winning the Pacific Coast Conference title, its first conference crown since 1999, received a bye into the semifinals.

Golden West won in four games at OCC on March 11 and swept the visiting Pirates on April 3.

Golden West posted a 44-41 advantage in digs and won the team blocking battle, 14-10. It also used a balanced hitting attack to advance to Saturday’s final against Long Beach, which swept Santa Monica in the other semifinal. The title match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Bagwell, with 12 kills, was one of four Rustlers in double figures.

The winners were paced by freshman Ian McKelvie with 14.

OCC was led by sophomore outside hitter Jake Melone, who had 24 kills.

Sophomore middle blocker Mike Stewart, who joined Melone on the All-Pacific Coast Conference first team, added eight kills and hit .353.

Sophomore middle Rick Schroeder had five solo blocks and six kills for the Pirates.

Sophomore setter Doug Astor had 53 assists and two of the Pirates’ five aces.

OCC hit .199 as a team, 46 points worse than Golden West.

Golden West also received some help from Newport Harbor High product Max Volz, a freshman outside hitter who contributed four kills.

OCC led, 21-19, in the fourth game, but could not sustain it to force a fifth game.

The Rustlers closed strongly to claim the second set, then blitzed the Pirates in Game 3, scoring 10 straight points to turn an 11-9 deficit into an insurmountable lead.

Melone scored three of the final four points of the opening set with kills.

The Pirates were bidding for their third state crown, their first since 1994.

The Rustlers have not been to the final four since 2004. They won the last of their five straight state crowns in 1999.

“I thought we let down a little in that first game, because we were a little nervous playing our first playoff match,” Bagwell said.

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