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Wilson finds way past Marina in first round of CIF-SS boys volleyball playoffs

April 28, 2023

LONG BEACH – The Long Beach Wilson boys volleyball team has become used to dominating its opponents.

That might have made things more difficult in its win over Marina, 25-15, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14, Thursday in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.

Wilsons Max Cherin looks to hit the ball past Marinas Shawn Phillips in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilson celebrates as they lead Marina in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Marinas Derek Mcmullin tries to hit the ball past Wilsons Ian Nolte in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilsons Alden Jacobs hits the ball past Marinas Cazyn Pugliese in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilsons Max Cherin looks to get the ball past Marinas Evan Tang in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Marinas Miles Rodden looks to hit the ball past Wilsons Max Cherin and Will Morrison in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilsons Ian Nolte tries to hit the ball past Marinas Shawn Phillps and Dylan Nguyen in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilsons Braden Pool-Harris sets up the ball as they take on Marina in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilsons Will Morrison hits the ball past Marinas Shawn Phillips and Miles Rodden in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

Wilson and Marina battle it out in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 Volleyball playoffs in Long Beach, CA, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)

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Coach Christopher Ceballos said his team, the No. 1 seed in Division 2, forced a style of play that wasn’t getting results.

“We kind of let our foot off the gas again and we weren’t taking what the defense was giving us,” he said. “We were trying to do what we wanted and it wasn’t within the system. We kind of broke down when we didn’t need to.”

Still, Wilson (31-1) prevailed over Marina (16-15) despite a stumble in the third set.

Marek Turner and Ian Nolte paced the Wilson attack with 13 kills apiece. Turner added three blocks.

Braden Pool-Harris tallied 26 assists, and Max Cherin led the Bruins with four blocks.

Alden Jacobs converted a team-high three aces for Wilson.

Wilson dominated the first set. Turner’s two blocks and two kills, as well as Jacobs’ three aces and one block, launched the Bruins to a 25-15 set win.

The second set didn’t come as easily for Wilson. The Bruins jumped out to an early 5-1 lead on big kills by Turner and Nolte, but Marina kept pace. Three kills and back-to-back aces from Miles Rodden helped Marina narrow Wilson’s lead to 23-22 late in the set, but a kill by Cherin followed by an error by Marina sealed the 25-22 set win for Wilson.

Marina continued its momentum in the third set. The Vikings built a 17-11 lead with help from Derek McMullin, who had two kills and a block in the set. After a Wilson timeout, Caiden Rodriguez’s three kills extended Marina’s lead to 19-14.

With Marina leading 22-17, a Dyllan Nguyen ace brought Marina close to set point.

Wilson narrowed the Marina lead to four, 24-20, but a Caiden Rodriguez kill won the set for Marina 25-20.

Rodriguez tallied nine kills for Marina, while Dyllan Nguyen had 27 assists and two kills. Rodden had 10 kills and three aces for Marina. McMullin led in blocks with three.

Wilson regained its dominance in the fourth set thanks to Turner, who had five kills in the final set. Cherin added two kills and two blocks to help the Bruins to a 25-14 win and a 3-1 match victory.

Turner’s mindset was straightforward in the final set.

“Just go out there and dominate the finish,” he said. “Just dominate, honestly. We just needed to keep the same intensity and stay focused.”

Wilson moves on to face Orange Lutheran in a second-round game Saturday.

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