Matt Winslow collected 16 kills and six blocks and Cody Kreitzer had 12 kills, including the match-winner, in a 3-1 men’s volleyball victory over Moorpark on Wednesday night in the Sports Pavilion.
The Vaqueros, ranked No. 9 in the state, won their second straight match 25-17, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25. There were 20 ties in the fourth set and SBCC (8-6, 3-4 WSC) had match point at 24-23. No. 8 Moorpark (8-6, 3-4) had set point at 25-24 before the Vaqueros reeled off three straight points.
Two of those points came on Moorpark hitting errors. Kreitzer ended the match with a kill just inside the back line.
“We played really hard and we were playing to win instead of not to lose,” said Winslow, a 6-5 freshman from Clovis North High. “We got the key plays when we needed them.”
Aquiles Montoya had seven kills and seven blocks while setter Jordon Dyer handed out 56 assists. Derek Martinez made eight digs.
The Vaqueros dominated the first two sets. They used a 9-2 run to build a 23-15 lead in the first set on a kill by Kreitzer. They took control of the second set with a 7-2 burst, capped by a kill from the 10-foot line by Dakota Smith that made it 17-12.
Moorpark pulled within one at 21-20 but Smith responded with two straight kills. He ended the 25-20 win with a spike through the block.
The fourth set was tight throughout with 10 lead changes and 20 ties. SBCC had match point at 24-23 but served in the net. After a pair of Raider errors, Ty Dudley-Mann served on match point No. 2 and Kreitzer ended it with a kill.
“If this was a race, we were the ones who built a lead, then put it in cruise control after the first two games,” said coach Armen Zakarian. “We knew Moorpark would come back. Then we got a little tight and played not to lose in the third set.
“Winslow was huge in the fourth set. Give credit to our team. We were down in the fourth set and held off a set point and came back to win.”
SBCC got revenge for a 3-0 loss on March 7 at Moorpark.
“Jordon Dyer did a great job tonight,” Zakarian added. “He kept his composure and set the right guys at the right times. He did what a sophomore captain should do.“
Santa Barbara has a good chance to make the playoffs as the top three will qualify from the WSC. The Vaqueros are tied with Moorpark for fourth at 3-4, just a half-game behind L.A. Pierce (3-3). The Brahmas lost 3-2 on Wednesday at WSC co-leader Long Beach.
“All the cards seem to be falling in our favor,” said Zakarian. “We’re starting to see some success, so I’m really hoping that we can keep it rolling.
“We could be that sleeper team. It’s not about who played the best all season, it’s about who gets hot in the playoffs.”
Santa Barbara travels to L.A. Pierce for a key match on Friday.
