Continuing a turnaround that is nothing less than astonishing, San Marino High School’s boys’ varsity volleyball team defeated Savanna on Thursday evening to advance to the third round of the CIF Division 4 Playoffs for the first time since, possibly, the previous century.
Senior Billy Tsai racked up a season-high 25 kills on 68 attacks to lead the Titans to a 3-1 win by set scores of 20-25, 25-21, 25-23 and 25-23 and send San Marino packing to Murrietta Valley High School on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. to challenge the Nighthawks. Michael Shahan added eight kills followed by Kai Barra (7) and Nate Wang and Carver Weirick, who added three apiece.
Tsai led the Rio Hondo League champions with five blocks with help from Barra and Shahan (4 each), and Weirick and setter Nate Wang, who stuffed opponents three times each.
Senior Brandon Wong paced the defense with solid digging and passing and Barra added three aces from the service line as San Marino improved to 14-11 overall,
“It was a little ugly at the beginning, but we were able to steady ourselves and pull out the win,” said head Coach Tony Chou. San Marino was playing the game without two of its regular starters, but sophomores Weirick and Mitchell Cootauco stepped up in relief roles.
