Missing a key player, Santa Barbara High’s boys volleyball team dropped a four-set decision at Eagle Rock in a first-round match of the CIF Division 2 Southern California Regionals on Tuesday. The scores were 25-16, 25-18, 12-25, 25-22.
The Dons played without senior opposite Ryan Worley, who had his wisdom teeth taken out earlier in the day. His absence affected the team’s attack against the L.A. City Section’s Division 2 champions.
After dropping the first two sets, Santa Barbara found some consistency on offense and blew past the Eagles in the third set. The fourth set was close until Eagle Rock went on a four-point run to erase a 21-19 deficit. The Dons made it 23-22 before the Eagles scored the final two points on a kill by Stewart Ramiriez and a Santa Barbara hitting error.
Santa Barbara, which finished the season at 21-11 and CIF-SS Division 2 runner-up, was led by middles Channing Peake with 14 kills and Will Pulice with nine. Libero Carl Mendoza picked up 18 digs and setter Hart Pitcher had 43 assists.
