Men’s Volleyball: OCC sweeps Grossmont
After playing three matches in eight days in the San Diego area, the Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team returned home on Friday. The Pirates couldn’t get away from going up against a San Diego County-based program again.
At least they made it back home after Coach Travis Turner said it felt like his Pirates were on the road forever. Playing at home for the first time in two weeks got a little heated, the conditions inside the gym, not the competition on the court against Grossmont. Billed as a matchup between two undefeated Pacific Coast Conference schools didn’t turn out to be much of a contest.
The only breeze inside a humid gym was created by OCC, which swept Grossmont, 25-20, 25-22, 25-14, to improve to 6-0 in conference play. The defending conference champions are almost halfway to finishing with a perfect conference record.
Last season’s team, which won the California Community College Athletic Assn. title, didn’t even claim an undefeated conference crown. Eight conference matches remain for OCC, and the next one is at home Wednesday against Irvine Valley, which shares second place with Grossmont at 5-1.
The Pirates swept Irvine Valley three times last season, twice in conference and in the semifinals of the state tournament. They also have Irvine Valley’s setter from a year ago in Steven Duhoux. The former Newport Harbor standout transferred to OCC, and he has the Pirates on a roll.
After starting the season with three setbacks, Duhoux led OCC to its ninth straight win, amassing 44 assists against Grossmont. Setting was the difference. The Pirates had their starter quarterbacking the offense, while Grossmont’s starting setter was busy trying to stop a bloody nose and trying to find his right contact lens.
Adrian Faitalia caused the setter’s first problem in the second set. The freshman outside hitter’s kill struck the setter in the nose, giving OCC a 7-3 lead and the setter a bloody nose.
“They’re just not as deep as we are,” Turner said. “When they have an injury, I think it kind of affects them a little more than it might affect us.”
Turner saw Faitalia return to his form in the first two matches in which he averaged 23 kills. He finished with 21 kills to lead OCC in that department against Grossmont, while outside hitter Kamaha’o Paio contributed 11 kills.
The Pirates’ middle blockers made things difficult for Grossmont. Nick Amado produced eight kills and five blocks, and Kyle Hurst, another Newport Harbor product, blocked six shots.
The Newport Harbor connection is one Turner is happy to see at OCC, especially Duhoux. The sophomore has fit right in with the Pirates.
“He kind of knew we didn’t have a setter and was friends with some of these guys, so he came over,” Turner said. “In JC volleyball, or JC sports, the more sophomores you have on the court, the better your odds are of winning.”
Duhoux said what attracted him to OCC was its coach. Turner, who’s in his eighth season in charge of the Pirates, has led the program to four state finals appearances, winning it all last season for the first time as a coach. The title marked the Pirates’ first since 1994.
To reach the final, Turner guided OCC past Duhoux and the Lasers in the semifinals last April. Duhoux is looking forward to seeing his former teammates on Wednesday.
“It will be a fun game, definitely a fun one to see some good old friends over there and take care of business,” Duhoux said.
“I’ve known these [OCC] guys for a long time and it’s really good to be in the same jersey as them.”