Lancers have little trouble with Moorpark

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EYES ON THE PRIZE—Lancer senior outside hitter Ellen Querrey makes a dig during T.O.'s four-game victory at Moorpark on Tuesday night. The Thousand Oaks High girls' volleyball team maintained its unblemished Marmonte League record with a four-game victory at Moorpark Tuesday night.

Behind strong performances from seniors Hannah Clancy (46 assists), Kat Luft (13 kills, 11 digs), Ellen Querrey (12 kills, 13 digs), Paige Mitchell (nine kills), Shannon Pearson and Kelsey Van Uden, the Lancers upended the Musketeers by scores of 25-16, 25-22, 22-25 and 25-10.

TOHS improved to 11-2-1 overall and 7-0 in league. Moorpark fell to 12-10-1, 3-4 in the Marmonte.

"Overall we played pretty consistent, and then we ramped it up in the fourth game because we really wanted to get out of here," said Pearson, T.O.'s middle blocker who clinched Game 1 with a kill.

After building a 15-5 lead and breezing to victory in Game 1, the Lancers were challenged in the middle games.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers SMASHING SUCCESS—Thousand Oaks High senior middle blocker Paige Mitchell, left, hammers a kill as Moorpark's Alicia Carter attempts to make a block during Tuesday night's match at MHS. Down 2018 in Game 2, Thousand Oaks rallied to win seven of the next nine points. Game 3 featured 13 ties and four lead changes as Moorpark's sudden surge in points was fueled by UCLAbound junior outside hitter Rachael Kidder.

The loss in Game 3, however, did little to shake Thousand Oaks' confidence.

"We kind of have a tendency to lose the third game a lot; it just kind of happens," said Querrey, whose older brother, Sam, the world's 41st-ranked tennis player and a TOHS graduate, was in the stands.

"After we lose the third game, we just try and win the fourth game fast because we know we can."

Already this season, Thousand Oaks has lost Game 3 in its road matches against Westlake, Simi Valley, Royal and now Moorpark. Each match ended in a four-game victory for T.O.

Third-year head coach James Park, who's guided the Lancers to eight consecutive wins—T.O. hasn't dropped a match since Sept. 26—and has lost only one league match during his tenure, said his team has occasional lapses in its serve-receive game.

"I don't think we're tired, because in the fourth game we've put teams away easily," Park said. "Maybe we break down mentally, but if we do, that would be my fault for not having them ready for the third game.

"I think we need to just focus on it a little bit more. Any time we break down in any game, especially in the third games, it's because of our serve-receive. That's a big factor."

In Games 1, 2 and 4, though, Thousand Oaks has been dynamite.

Park credits a teamfirst attitude and a roster devoid of superstars for his squad's consistent success.

"That's the big difference between us and some of the other teams," Park said. "I've been blessed with a lot of talent, and you can see that we don't have someone who's going to get 20 or 25 kills. . . .

"Clancy has been setting well. All of our outside hitters have been playing well. The three middle blockers, they contribute, too. And (senior libero Molly Hall) does a great job in the back row. If one person is a little bit off, another person picks it up."

Pearson said the team's goal during the second half of the league schedule will be to close out every opponent in three games.

"In the next round, Mr. Park is going to want us to go 3-0 in every match," Pearson said. "We definitely can win every game."

Thousand Oaks hosts Agoura tonight at 6 p.m.