Pirates rally, advance to state

COSTA MESA — Coach Travis Turner took the time to blow someone a kiss.

The first-year Orange Coast College men’s volleyball coach thought it was a good time during the Southern California Regional Playoffs Tuesday.

As a lady friend, with three children, headed out the OCC gym, the Pirates’ finally took a game against Santa Monica City College.

The Corsairs had won the first two games, the same way they did the last time they faced OCC two months ago.

But Turner wasn’t flustered.

“It was weird. I had confidence in [my team] the entire time,� Turner said. “Never once [did] I kind of panicked, and say, ‘We’re going to lose this thing.’ Most coaches and teams do that. I just didn’t.�

Turner had good reason to stay positive. His Pirates showed why, coming from behind again to beat the Corsairs, 17-30, 36-38, 30-28, 30-20, 16-14.

This time it was for an opportunity to advance to the state tournament at Santa Monica against defending state champion Long Beach City on Friday.

The Corsairs (10-7) looked as they’d be going home to play again, with opposite hitter Russell Burns hammering away at OCC.

Twenty-seven times he recorded kills, a match-high. Some of the shots bounced off heads, shoulders, and when the ball touched hands, the Pirates couldn’t dig most of them out.

But the last time the sophomore fired a kill, OCC had match point. Burns was denied as he was stuffed by middle blocker Rick Schroeder, who sent the ball back and the Pirates (17-3) into a frenzy.

OCC, which has won five state titles, is making its first state appearance since 2004.

Schroeder, who for most of the match was not on top of his game, came up with one of the biggest plays. Turner said Schroeder played with a hip flexor problem.

“He’s just kind of sucking it up for a week and getting through this,� Turner said. “He really shouldn’t be playing, but he’s a tough kid.�

Another resilient Pirate was outside hitter Kevin Welch, who finished with a team-high 24 kills. The former Corona del Mar standout was everywhere on the court, diving head first to keep balls alive.

The Pirates sported their home white uniforms, and from everyone on the team, Welch’s was the dirtiest. Even after wiping a wet spot on the floor with a towel, he’d wipe his face with it afterward.

He threw himself into action in the fifth game, smashing passes from setters Trevor Holmes (43 assists) and Keith Thornton (28 assists) down the Corsairs’ throats. Setting up the offense before Welch’s shots was Stefan Brule, forced into the libero role after starter Alika De Rego struggled.

Brule, who started out the year as an outside hitter, wound up with 20 digs, a season-high for anyone at OCC.