Edison falls in five to Newport Harbor

Even though the Edison High girls’ volleyball team couldn’t knock off

visiting Newport Harbor Tuesday night in the CIF Southern Section

Division II-AA semifinals, the Chargers will be a team to keep an eye

on in the future.

The young Chargers took a senior-laden and veteran Newport squad

to the limit in a thrilling match which saw the Sailors, led by the

play of Alyson Jennings, survive with a 27-25, 12-25, 22-25, 25-19,

17-15 victory.

Jennings’ play allowed the Sailors to stave off elimination, as

Edison (17-3) had taken a 2-1 lead in games. She came up with two

kills in the decisive fifth game to move Newport into Saturday’s

championship match against Mira Costa.

Kari Pestolesi, Colleen Burke and Ashley Collier helped lead

Edison back from a 1-0 deficit in games.

Burke finished with a match-best 25 kills, and Collier added 15

kills.

Edison, tri-champion of the Sunset League, began its quest for the

Division II-AA title with a 25-6, 25-12, 25-17 home court sweep of

Anaheim.

In second-round play, the Chargers needed just three games to

eliminate West Valley, the No. 3 out of the Sun Belt League.

A 19-25, 25-21, 25-23, 27-25 quarterfinal win over Dos Pueblos,

the Channel League’s No. 3 team, earned Edison Tuesday’s date with

Newport Harbor.

In other Division II-AA girls’ volleyball playoff action,

Huntington Beach swept host Santa Fe, champion of the Del Rio League,

25-18, 25-23, 25-20, in a first-round game.

The Oilers followed that win by surprising Channel League champ

Santa Barbara in four games, 26-24, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22.

Fiona Fiaseu recorded 21 kills for Huntington.

The Oilers’ playoff run ended, however, in a quarterfinal loss to

South Coast League champion Capistrano Valley.

In boys’ CIF water polo playoff action, Marina advanced to the

semifinal round of the Division II playoffs.

The Vikings ran their record to 22-3 overall by virtue of

postseason wins over Empire League champ Cypress, 15-6, and Serra

League winner Servite, 9-8.

Marina took on Sunset League rival Esperanza in Wednesday’s

semifinal round play. The winner advances to Monday’s championship

match at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

In boys’ cross country, Edison, the fourth-place team out of the

Sunset League, has qualified to compete Saturday at the CIF Division

II Finals at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut.

The Chargers received an at-large berth into last Saturday’s CIF

Prelims, but put on a strong showing to advance to Saturday’s team

finals.