Mira Costa’s boys volleyball team found itself in a rare situation Friday, having to come from behind to pull out a victory to keep its unbeaten season intact. Yet Coach Mike Ninnis’ squad knows the scare will pay dividends later in the season when the top-ranked Mustangs make their run for a seventh CIF championship.
In an annual rivalry match that has outgrown high school gyms, Mira Costa won the final two sets to defeat Loyola before an estimated 2,000 fans who watched the two perennial powers battle it out at Loyola Marymount University.
Mira Costa outside hitter Christopher Orenic said the match reminded him of last summer when he and Mustang teammate D.J. White were members of the U.S. Boys National Team that competed in the NORCECA championships in Guadalaraja, Mexico.
“It was special to represent Mira Costa in front of 2,000 people,” Orenic said. “It was the same experience as playing against Mexico and Cuba on the National team last year.”
After dropping the first game 23-25, Mira Costa evened the contest with a 25-18 victory. When the Cubs took the third game 23-25, it stirred haunting memories of last year’s CIF Division 1 championship match when Loyola defeated Mira Costa in four games. But the Mustangs fought back with a 25-21 win in game four and went on a 5-0 run to pull ahead 9-5 before putting away game five 15-12.
The victory was sweet for the Mustangs, who know many of Loyola’s players from club ball. The Cub’s David Duffy, Jason Jones, Colin LaPorte, Kurtis Mirick, Michael Mullahey, Michael Nolan and Ryan Zoppi are Manhattan Beach residents and Eric Drinkward is from Redondo Beach. Nine players on Loyola’s roster play alongside Mira Costa players in the Manhattan Beach Surf program and another four in the Southern California Volleyball Club.
“Knowing over half of the guys on Loyola, the win was extremely special,” Orenic said. “They’re a team that’s going to compete every time they play and it’s nice to win bragging rights. Before the match we didn’t mention last year’s loss to Loyola in the (CIF) finals but I know it was in the back of the minds of our four returners.”
The win also kept Mira Costa (12-0) in the top spot of both the CIF Division 1 poll and the ESPN Rise national rankings. Loyola entered the match ranked third behind Santa Margarita in both polls. Mira Costa has been named national champion in 1984, 1990, 1996 and 2001.
White led the Mustang attack with 20 kills, Orenic recorded 13 kills, Karl Acres added 10 kills and Keith Waddell had nine kills and six blocks.
The Mustangs, along with most of their families, are enjoying this week’s spring break in Hawaii but the trip won’t be all pleasure. If Mira Costa wants to remain unbeaten, it will need to defeat two of the Hawaii’s top teams when it faces Iolani (No. 18 in the nation) Friday and Punahou (No. 5 in the nation) in a Saturday match.
“It will be spring break until we practice on Thursday,” Orenic said after the team arrived in Oahu on Sunday. “We’ll be focused to play. We can’t let our guard down against anyone.”
Mira Costa returns to Bay League action Tuesday, April 12 with a 4:30 p.m. home match against West before hosting rival Redondo in a critical contest at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. Redondo is ranked fifth in the Division 1 poll.
The Mustangs opened the league season with a 25-19, 28-26, 19-25, 25-10 win at Peninsula.
Redondo (17-4) is nipping at the heels of Mira Costa, taking Loyola to five games in a non-league match on March 25 before falling to the Cubs 25-17, 20-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-10.
The Sea Hawks opened its Bay League season sweeping West 25-12, 25-12, 25-12 and Palos Verdes 25-17, 25-17, 25-22. Redondo, ranked 25th nationally in the ESPN Rise poll, doesn’t play again until its showdown at Mira Costa. ER
