Millikan Girls Get Past Harvard-Westlake

LAKEWOOD — Members of the Long Beach Millikan High girls’ volleyball team stood stunned at the end of the first game of their Southern Section Division II semifinal.

The Rams, who entered the match seeded first in Division II, had been outhit, outdefensed and outplayed by unseeded Harvard-Westlake.

But the near-flawless play of Westlake in the opening game came undone as Millikan turned the tables to rebound to a 7-15, 15-9, 15-8, 15-7 victory at Lakewood High on Thursday night.

Millikan (18-2) advanced to the Division II final for the first time while Westlake lost in the semifinals for the second consecutive year.

Westlake’s mistakes continued to the end. Match point was awarded to Millikan when Carolyn Miller illegally substituted for Jamie Kantrowitz.

The point ended a match that began with promise as Westlake played some of its best volleyball of the season.

The Wolverines (15-5), led by middle blocker Amanda Selby, controlled the opening game from the first serve. The 6-foot-2 Selby used her size advantage for four kills and four blocks.

After jumping out to a 5-1 lead in the second game. Westlake was plagued by serving errors and net violations until the end. Westlake was called for 14 net violations, Millikan for one.

“We just started making a lot of blocking and passing mistakes,” Selby said. “They were more consistent and that’s why they won.”

Selby finished with 15 kills and 13 blocks but virtually disappeared in the third game. Selby had one kill and two blocks as Millikan grabbed an early 8-2 lead and held on.

Westlake’s Christine Bohle had 12 kills and Lesley Coben added nine.