Girls’ volleyball: Tough schedule pays off for Taft
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The master plan of Woodland Hills Taft girls’ volleyball coach Arman Mercado seems to have unfolded exactly the way he envisioned: with his team in position to win a City Section title.
As a result of their demanding tournament schedule and the rigors of playing in the brutally tough West Valley League, the third-seeded Toreadors took their lumps early in the season and carried a losing record into Tuesday’s Division II semifinal at #2 Palisades.
By night’s end, however, Taft was back at .500 and, more importantly, back in the City finals after dethroning the 2007 and 2008 champion Dolphins, 25-17, 20-25, 25-17, 25-15. Set 4 was tied 11-11 when the Toreadors (16-16-1) closed out the victory with a 14-4 run, capped by Mahsa Samouhi’s spike on the third match point.
‘I credit our schedule for toughening us up,’ said Mercado, whose team finished third in the West Valley behind Granada Hills and Birmingham. ‘We played three strong tournaments (La Jolla, Aloha Classic and Crescenta Valley), we traveled out of the area, and I purposely threw in some night games to face noisier crowds. It’s gotten us used to playing in hostile environments.’
The City changed its playoff format this fall in order to qualify more teams for the state tournament. Divisions are determined by enrollment, meaning Taft won’t get another crack at Granada Hills (the Highlanders play San Pedro for the Division I championship), but rather top-seeded Venice, the Western League winner, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Roybal Learning Center.
‘[Coach] Allen Hunt does a super job with his team and it’ll be another difficult match, just like tonight,’ Mercado said. ‘That’s nothing new for us. I think we’re better than our record shows.’
Palisades Coach Chris Forrest said Taft’s junior outside hitter Taylor Kline was the X Factor on Tuesday: ‘She’s the reason they won. If they can pass that well and she plays the way she did tonight, I give them a good chance.’
-- Steve Galluzzo