SOUTHERN SECTION ROUNDUP: SIMI VALLEY TOUGH IN DEFEAT.

Byline: Daily News

Simi Valley High players could look all around the gym at Mira Costa High's banners proclaiming the Mustangs' boys' volleyball accolades, not only for Southern Section titles but the school's four national-championship banners.

Top-seeded Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach eliminated the Pioneers from the second round of the Southern Section Division II playoffs Tuesday. But Simi Valley was at its pesky best in the Mustangs' 15-9, 15-1, 15-11 victory.

The Pioneers (12-12) were unfazed by the top-seeded Mustangs (25-1), seeking their second consecutive Division II championship. Mira Costa worked hard to win the first game, dominated by Simi Valley early.

The Pioneers' Nathan Metcalf opened the match with a service ace and the momentum carried over through a 5-0 start featuring blocks of the taller Mustangs' hitters by Brent Mjoen and Tyler Larham.

``Coming into it, we knew we had nothing to lose because they're one of the favorites. I know we can play with a lot off good teams,'' said Metcalf, who had 18 assists. Amir Golriz led the Pioneers with seven kills. Larham and Sean Kelly added five apiece.

Larham's stuff block of 6-foot-9, UCLA-bound middle blocker Pat Nihipali ignited the Pioneers' bench. And Simi Valley stayed close throughout the first game, trailing just 9-8 before Mira Costa took command.

Nihipali led the Mustangs with 13 kills and setter Gio Altamura had 33 assists.

- Chris Cocoles

In other Southern Section playoff games:

--Loyola d. Saugus 3-1: Saugus dropped an 8-15, 15-13, 2-15, 8-15 decision to second-seeded Loyola of Los Angeles in a Division II match.

Adam Hilton, Kevin Valle and Justin Plyler had 15, 10 and eight kills, respectively to lead the visiting Centurions.

``We haven't seen jump serving like they had all year,'' Saugus coach Matt Gillis said. ``Their jump serving really threw our offense off. Our passing wasn't as good as it needed to be to beat this Loyola team.''

Outside hitter Derek Otte, who is headed to USC next year, had 32 kills and four aces to lead the Cubs (17-1).

Chris Benton and Jake Schkud had 14 and 13 kills, respectively, for Loyola. Teammates Ryan Beckwith and Jimmey Killian combined for 83 assists.

Colin Vander Pluym added 33 assists and seven digs and Nick Patey had 11 digs and four aces for Saugus (15-8).

- Jack Pollon

--Arrowhead Christian Academy d. Providence 3-0: Providence of Burbank (17-7) lost the second-round Division V match to visiting Arrowhead Christian Academy of Redlands 15-13, 15-10, 15-13.

Ian Breckinridge-Jackson had four of his nine kills for the Pioneers in a close third set that went back and forth. The Eagles tied the game at 13-13, and 6-foot-7 middle blocker Nathan Botten sealed the set with two kills.

The Pioneers' offense was led by senior setter Danny Huynh, who had 23 assists and 12 digs. Senior outside hitter Aram Pirjanian added nine kills.

``Every big game we've played this year, we have come up short because we haven't been a great team under pressure,'' Providence coach Andrew Bencze said.

- Steve Goldstein

--Arcadia d. Littlerock 3-0: Fifth-seeded Arcadia (22-8) advanced to the Division I quarterfinals with a convincing 15-5, 15-6, 15-6 victory over the visiting Lobos.

Arcadia dominated throughout the match behind the play of senior setter Gary Chow, who finished with 39 assists, five digs and two aces.

``I'm very proud of this group, especially with the overall improvement,'' Littlerock coach Jason Moles said. ``We also won the first-ever playoff game by a boys' or girls' volleyball team at our school.''

The Lobos received solid play from senior outside hitter Mike Creel, who had 11 kills. Sophomore setter Tyler Higa added 24 assists and two kills.

- Shawn Clingan

--San Luis Obispo d. Alemany 3-1: Despite a match-high 28 kills from senior captain Tony Walker, Alemany of Mission Hills was eliminated 12-15, 15-3, 15-10, 15-6 in the Division IV game at home.

San Luis Obispo, champion of the Northern League, took an early 7-2 lead in game one, but Alemany, led by Jason Lance, came back to tie the game 9-9. After an over-the-line violation gave the Tigers a 12-9 lead, Alemany scored six consecutive points, capped by a block by Walker, to win game one 15-12.

``This is a tough loss,'' Alemany coach Jamie Quaglino said. ``Walker is one of those kids that coaches dream about and they don't come around too often. You can't teach his 42-inch vertical leap and he will surely be missed.''

- P.C. Shaw

--Moorpark d. Don Bosco 3-0: Sean Sharpe (14 kills), Chris Sayers (12 kills) and Richard Nadas (40 assists) each contributed for host Moorpark (11-8) in the 15-8, 15-4, 15-13 Division III victory.

--Thousand Oaks d. Camarillo 3-1: Kevin Rex had 14 kills and Micah Porter added 11 for host Thousand Oaks in the 15-9, 11-15, 15-8, 15-4 Division II victory.

--Harvard-Westlake d. Village Christian 3-1: Max Shapiro had 23 kills and Danny Miller had 42 assists for host Harvard-Westlake (14-4) in the 15-12, 15-10, 10-15, 15-10 Division IV victory.

--Viewpoint d. Cate 3-0: Andrew Chizever had 17 kills and 21 assists and Spencer Sherman added 10 kills and 18 assists for host and second-seeded Viewpoint of Calabasas (15-1) in its 15-7, 15-11, 15-6 Division V victory.