Barons Show Discipline in Victory

After Fountain Valley took care of some in-house punishment, the Barons took care of Capistrano Valley to win a Southern Section Division I boys’ volleyball playoff match, 10-15, 15-9, 16-14, 15-13, Friday at Fountain Valley.

“We had some disciplinary problems this week,� Fountain Valley Coach Ray Brown said. “That’s why our best player, Brad Keenan, sat out the first game.�

Keenan still finished with 26 kills and eight blocks to lead Fountain Valley (9-6), which advanced to play top-seeded Newport Harbor in the second round a site to be determined.

“We got what we wanted and now we get to play the best,� Brown said. “Everything after this is a bonus.�

It sounded like a second-round concession from Brown, but at least Fountain Valley won’t face Newport Harbor at full strength. The Sailors won their first-round match, but are playing without starting setter Travis Nelson, who is out for the season with a broken finger.

And when Fountain Valley had Keenan in the lineup, it flashed some of its potential.

Although Beau Rawi, who had 21 kills, helped the Cougars (7-8) win the first 12 points in the first game, the Barons made the Cougars sweat a little before losing, 15-10.

Then Keenan helped to really change the momentum.

He had eight kills and five blocks in the second-game victory, then had 16 kills in a pressure-packed third game victory that took 45 minutes.

“That was the turning point,� Brown said. “Capo wasn’t quite the same after that.�

But the Cougars still made it interesting, falling behind in the fourth game, 12-4, before scoring nine consecutive points. But Chris Anderson (17 kills, 18 digs) spiked for a kill to tie it, 13-13, and the Barons won after two hitting errors by Rawi.

Drew Carson had seven kills and seven blocks for the Cougars.

Fountain Valley setter Kevin Seckington had 58 assists.