Tartans trounce Sage Hill

NEWPORT COAST — The Sage Hill boys’ volleyball team hoped it could undermine the recent dominance of St. Margaret’s in a showdown for first place in the Academy League Thursday.

Instead, the Tartans handily underscored their supremacy by thumping the Lightning, 25-20, 25-14, 25-12.

It culminated a second straight unbeaten Academy campaign for the Tartans (26-4, 10-0 in league), who share the No. 1 ranking in CIF Southern Section Division V.

What’s more, St. Margaret’s did not lose a game against league foes this season and has won 60 of 63 league games since finishing tied for third in 2008, when Sage Hill claimed the crown.

Sage Coach Dan Thomassen said a good start was key to his team’s upset bid and the Lightning achieved that, seizing an 8-5 lead in Game 1.

But a 7-1 Tartans’ run that included three kills by 6-foot-6 senior opposite Woody Quinn, helped quell momentum the hosts had hoped to build from.

“We actually felt like in the beginning, [the Tartans] were timid,” said Thomassen, whose team, ranked No. 6 in Division V, finishes the regular season 15-10, 8-2 in league. “But once their timidity subsided, they had a lead and they started playing without fear, which makes them a lot better team. The early start was key for us and getting that first game. But we let it slip and it had an effect.

The Lightning was, effectively, never in the match again as a barrage of passing and setting errors helped negate any chance of winning to claim a share of the league crown.

“St. Margaret’s is No, 1 in our division for a reason,” Thomassen said. “We knew we had to get off to a good start, and we did. We really had some opportunities that we missed out on. I think that’s the lesson that our guys take away from this. We prepared well and we started well. We just didn’t have that opportunistic, killer instinct.”

Quinn finished with a match-high 12 kills, often pounding over smaller blockers to account for most of senior setter Kory Kiraly’s 21 assists.

Kiraly, the son of legendary former beach and indoor player Karch Kiraly, who is also an assistant coach for the team, benefited from superior passing in order to trigger the offense.

Mattias Russo-Larsson, a junior academically who was honored with other Lightning seniors before the match because his year at a school abroad last year means he will have no further high school eligibility next season, led the Lightning with nine kills and nine digs.

Sophomore Cole Kirby had seven kills and nine digs, while sophomore Chris Zadra contributed four kills for the Lightning, which enters the CIF Southern Section playoffs with plenty left in the tank, according to Thomassen.

“I think our guys are still confident that we’re going to go deep into the playoffs,” Thomassen said. “They know they have to get better.”

Thomassen said more practice time will help his players regain familiarity with the return of senior setter Jesse Xiao, who played his second match Thursday since a prolonged absence due to a broken wrist.

“We weren’t adjusting well to our new lineup,” Thomassen said when asked about the passing woes that made it hard to mount an offense Thursday.

Tartans Coach Jeremy Dailey said he was surprised the scores were so lopsided.

“Every year, we come into this gym knowing, without fail, that we’re going to have to battle,” Dailey said. [Sage Hill is] is a good team. They hustle.

“We know there is a healthy rivalry between the two schools and regardless of the scores of the [matches], it’s always going to be a battle.”