Huntington Beach wins 113th straight boys’ volleyball match for new national record

Anaheim —  Game. Match. Record!

The Huntington Beach High boys’ volleyball team earned a momentous triumph Tuesday at Servite, its 26-28, 25-20, 25-13, 25-20 victory over the host Friars was one for the record book, as in, national record book.

Huntington’s win was its 113th in a row and set a new prep national record for consecutive victories. Late last week, the Oilers had tied the national mark of 112 straight, which had been set by Salem High of New Hampshire (2004-09).

After rallying from a set down to Servite, the Oilers now own the record outright, and can move forward with their season, Coach Craig Pazanti said.

Two records now possesed by the Huntington program have been set against Servite: last March, the Oilers set the all-time CIF mark for consecutive victories (70) with a home sweep of the Friars.

“You know, I think it’s hard to put into words,” Pazanti said in reference to setting the national record. “It does feel great. I think this takes a huge burden off our backs and getting this match over, allows us to get on with the season. I think we will start playing better now that this is out of the way.”

Huntington, the top-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 1, started the season with 104 straight victories. The Oilers got out of the gate by winning the Trabuco Hills Varsity Championships late last month. They tied Salem’s national record on March 3 with a 25-16, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21 win over Saddleback Valley Christian, the top-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 4.

During the streak, which began after a loss to San Clemente in March of the 2013 season, Huntington has won three consecutive CIF-SS Division 1 and CIF SoCal Regional Division 1 championships.

Pazanti said it was “in the back of my mind,” that his program had a shot at the national record after going 40-0 and winning a second CIF championship two years ago.

“But it’s so hard to go undefeated,” he said.

Tuesday’s attempt at the national record got off to a rocky and dramatic start, though.

Huntington had its hands full early with Servite, which started the season ranked seventh in the division but is unranked this week. In fact, the Oilers looked as though they were on their way to a win in the first set when they bolted to a quick, 5-0 lead. They couldn’t hold it, nor a late three-point lead (22-19), and the Friars rallied for a 28-26 win.

The second set had a similar feeling to the first. Huntington led early by three points and still was in charge at 14-10 when senior middle blocker Davey Kim and junior opposite Alex Anastassiades teamed for a block at the net. Again, though, Servite rallied back and took the lead at 18-17. The Oilers responded with a 6-1 run which included a vicious kill down the right side by senior setter Tanner Woods that gave them the lead for good.

Huntington slowly pulled away and drew even in the match when a group of Oilers swarmed the middle of the net to block a shot attempt by the Friars’ Matthew Johnson (19 kills) to sew up a 25-20 win.

The Oilers dominated the third set. They never trailed and took complete control during a mid-game stretch that included a kill by senior middle blocker Shane Holdaway and two kills by senior outside hitter Sean Morrissey. They led by as many as 12 points (22-10) and cruised to a 25-13 win for a 2-1 edge in the match.

In the third set, Huntington eased its way to a 25-20 win. The Oilers trailed only once (3-1) and took the lead for good at 6-5 on a on a kill from the left side by senior outside hitter Eric Beatty.

The Oilers built a 19-12 lead, and wrapped up the match and national record when Servite’s Garrett Halsey sent a shot beyond the backline at first match point.

“It’s definitely a big relief to win this match and set the record,” said Morrissey who has played varsity ball for four years and as a full-time varsity player since his sophomore year.

Morrissey had a team-high 18 kills. Beatty finished with 11 kills, Kim nine kills, Holdaway six hills, Woods five kills, and Anastassiades two kills.

“We weren’t thinking about this [record] all the time,” Morrissey said. “Our end goal, really, is to win CIF.”

Pazanti echoed Morrissey’s sentiments.

“Our goal is to win [the Sunset League], and win CIF,” he said. “Hopefully, this [record] takes this pressure off us.”

Former Huntington Beach star outside hitter TJ DeFalco (Class of 2015) was present to root on his alma mater. The three-time all-Sunset League and All-CIF first-team selection, who is now an outside hitter at Long Beach State, was a key player of the current win streak.

He was part of Huntington’s back-to-back 40-0 championship teams in 2014-15, and the 2013 team that finished its season with 24-straight wins.

DeFalco talked with the Oilers before the match, then watched the action from under a wing near the gym’s main entrance. He said he was watching his former team in action for the first time this year.

“It was really fun to be here, to watch these guys do this,” DeFalco said. “I’m sporting this shirt (pointing, as he spoke, to the print that read “2013” on its front side) that says where it all began (2013 season). It’s great to be a part of this.”

Huntington’s national record again will be put to the test this weekend when the Oilers head to Poway to compete at the Best of the West Invitational. The 32-team tournament starts Friday and concludes Saturday.

The Oilers, the tournament’s two-time defending champion, are the top seed in Pool A, which includes Highland of Arizona, El Segundo and San Diego Del Notre. On Friday, they play El Segundo at 3 p.m., Del Notre at 5 p.m., and Highland at 8 p.m., at the Alliant International Gym in San Diego.

The tournament continues at 9 a.m. Saturday.