ENCINITAS — The second half of the boys volleyball season hasn’t been kind to San Dieguito.
The Mustangs only won six of their last 16 matches, limping into the CIF playoffs on a three-match losing streak.
All that matters now is 1-0.
That’s the Mustangs’ record in the CIF San Diego Section Division 2 playoff bracket after disposing of visiting Mission Bay 25-22, 25-18, 25-23 in an opening round match Tuesday.
“The past four or five weeks we’ve had one pin hitter sick, another pin hitter sick, another one injured,” SDA coach Taylor Hoff said. “We’ve had to move a bunch of things around, which is not what you want to do at the end of the season. I’m proud of the boys.”
The Mustangs (21-16) will play at third-seeded University City (19-10) on Thursday.
SDA had to fight back at various spots throughout the match, showing the grit of a team that’s played one of the hardest schedules in the area.
The Mustangs feature just one current club player in senior outside hitter Henry Wegenerk not including a freshman brought up from JV for CIF.
But what works for them is having pure fundamental beach players rather than club players who can sometimes fall into specialization into fewer skills.
“It doesn’t hurt us as much as people think because we’re all very skilled technically from playing so much beach,” said Wegener, who was second on the team with nine kills and added a stuff block and an ace. “We’re very good at digging and serve receive and hitting. Everyone on the team is friends. We all mesh well so that helps us adjust to the indoor game.”
The 11th-seeded Buccaneers (16-11) saw their season end despite getting a well-rounded offensive effort. Sophomore opposite Jack Wainwright and junior outside hitter Erik May tied for the team lead with eight kills Tuesday, and May added a pair of stuff blocks.
Their only senior — Cayd Hanson — chipped in with five kills, two stuff blocks and an ace.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Mission Bay coach Patrick Buckel said. “We had leads in each set, we just couldn’t hold. We struggled siding out. Just more food for thought: we’re going to come back stronger next year. Develop our guys. Keep our heads level. Keep our egos down. Come play some volleyball and hopefully do well next year.”
SDA was led by junior outside hitter Alex Sundell’s 13 kills, including eight in the decisive third set. The Mustangs jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third behind four straight kills by Sundell.
However, the Buccaneers appeared ready to extend the night when they went on an 8-0 run early in set three behind the strength of three stuff blocks, two from Gavin Ragusa. But the hosts put together a 6-0 run themselves to tie it at 13. A pair of late 4-0 runs helped the hosts thwart a late Mission Bay comeback.
Senior middle Andrew Paul chipped in with four kills and four stuff blocks in a complete team effort for SDA. Junior opposites Grant Volz and Caden Legere each added six kills.
“We’re able to throw guys around in different positions,” Paul said. “People have different experience playing different positions in club. We’re a well-rounded team because of that. We work on drills to focus on our fundamentals.
Paul is one of six seniors on the Mustangs. That steady play and steadier emotional energy is hard to match with anything besides senior leaders.
“Our seniors really care about our program,” he said. “We really want to succeed. The sophomores and juniors have someone to look up to. That’s been my experience in the sport. That can lead during some tough times.”
The match was largely a sideout one early on until the Buccaneers took a 14-10 lead on back-to-back stuff blocks by May and Hanson, the visitors third and fourth stuff blocks of the set. The Mustangs took their first lead since 1-0 at 20-19. They finished the set with a 5-0 run with two points apiece coming from seniors Andrew Paul and Wegener.
Set two featured Mission Bay jumping out to a 7-5 lead, but that would be its last lead of the set.
The Buccaneers closed it to 20-17, but kills by Legere, Wegener and a stuff block by senior Parker Kilby put the hosts too far ahead.
“I’ve seen some other teams get frustrated with each other, and that’s understandable,” Sundell said. “But I’ve been pretty lucky. I’ve been on varsity the past two years and it’s been pretty special. Everyone’s been coming together. Even if you have a pretty rough game, they always have your back.”
