Resilient Harvard-Westlake in Final

Harvard-Westlake High reached the championship match of the Southern Section Division III-AA girls’ volleyball playoffs by defeating Corona del Mar, 15-11, 6-15, 15-11, 15-4, on Tuesday at Corona del Mar.

Sophomore Courtney Schultz had 15 kills for the Wolverines (22-5), into the final against Bishop Montgomery on Friday or Saturday.

Corona del Mar (15-6) jumped out to a 6-0 lead in game one before the Wolverines (22-5) managed to rip off six consecutive points to draw even.

Consecutive blocks by Kelly Ayers gave the Wolverines a 15-11 victory.

Corona del Mar was able to hold a 6-0 lead in the second game to pull even.

The Wolverines, led by Schultz and Karalyn Kuchenbecker, scored eight consecutive points to steal game three and take control.

“Our girls never quit,” Coach Jess Quiroz of Harvard-Westlake said. “They hung in there and had to battle.”

The Wolverines, Mission League champions and Division III-A champions last year, built a 12-2 lead in the final game.