University Turns Back ‘Valleyball’ : Chatsworth Loses in City 4-A Final for 3rd Straight Year

The banner that hung above the University High rooting section Friday night at Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse read, “Valleyball won’t cut it!�

It took 2 hours and 45 minutes to prove the author prophetic, but just barely, as University defeated Chatsworth, 9-15, 15-13, 12-15, 15-8, 15-8, to win the City Section 4-A volleyball championship.

“I thought we’d either win it in three or they would win it in three,� University Coach Neil Newman said. “I’ll be honest with you, I think they got a little tired at the end.�

Both teams were dragging a bit by the end of the match that University middle blocker Greg Spector ended with a block of Larry Fernandez’s spike attempt.

It was the third City title for University (14-5), which also won championships in 1975 and 1985. Chatsworth (14-4) came up empty in the City final for the third year in a row.

“We played a terrific match,� said Chatsworth outside hitter Mark Root, who will attend Pepperdine next year. “We just ran out of gas.�

In the first game, the trio of seniors Root and Steve Michalski and junior Fernandez helped Chatsworth break from an 8-8 tie to a relatively unchallenged 15-9 win.

University came alive in the second game behind outside hitters Bill Bailey and Tim Vincent. With a 14-13 lead, University’s Ben Johnson served to Michalski, who mishandled the return to give the game to University.

The third game went back and forth with Chatsworth building three- and four-point advantages only to have the Warriors come back. The score was 11-11 with Michalski serving when University’s Ben Johnson hit the ball long and Root followed with a kill to put Chatsworth ahead, 13-11.

Root closed out the game by blocking a Bailey spike attempt to give Chatsworth a 15-12 win.

University evened the match in the fourth game behind the hitting and blocking of Spector, a 6-6 junior who closed out the game with a spike.