Royals’ five-setter keeps season alive

San Marcos’ boys volleyball team played one of its best matches of the season when it mattered most, holding off Simi Valley in five sets on Monday to win their CIF Division 1 Wild-Card match 27-25, 25-17, 24-26, 23-25, 15-9.

Royals head coach Roger Kuntz thought his team’s defense and blocking were the best it’s been.

“Our blocking dramatically improved,”Kuntz said. “We have not been good blockers all season long until tonight.”

San Marcos won the first two games but Simi Valley came back to take games three and four.

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“In game five we just stepped on the pedal and never looked back,” Kuntz said. “Quite honestly it was just a high level of volleyball tonight.”

Christian Widmer collected 47 assists for San Marcos and Kyle Estabrooks totaled 14 digs and 37 clean serve-receive balls. Baker Johnson led the team in kills with 12.

BJ Elton and Aaron Duke were praised by their coach for rallying the Royals in games three and four, which kept San Marcos energized going into game five

With the result, San Marcos will travel to top-seeded Loyola for Tuesday’s first round.