It was simple. Esperanza was too good Tuesday night, defeating Santa Margarita in four games 25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 25-18.

The Aztecs host Mira Costa in the quarterfinals Friday night.

Home court advantage is a good place to start with this one. The Aztecs used it in a major way. I didn't get the impression it bothered Santa Margarita as much as Esperanza just feed off the crowd noise.

"We definitely used the energy, passion and fire to our advantage," Brain Warnecke said. "It was a big win for us."

The Breakdown:

Game 1 (Esperanza 25-22)

Esperanza held a slight lead until Santa Margarita grabbed a 10-9 advantage. It was the last the Eagles would hold in the game. Esperanza built a 19-16 margin. The Aztecs defense was spectacular. The Eagles ended up missing six serves in the set, including on game point as Esperanza won 25-22. Ryan Baine was playing outstanding for the Eagles, keeping his team close. But Santa Margarita couldn't match Esperanza's energy level in the opening game, and that was a key factor.

Game 2 (Santa Margarita 25-21)

Santa Margarita had an ugly start, falling behind 7-3 and forcing coach Jeff Uhrig to call an early timeout. The Eagles responded and took a 10-9 lead. The Eagles continued to struggle with their serves, but libero Michael McMahon was not one of them. He had three big aces in the game. Tanner Jansen began getting more looks and the energy began to shift toward Santa Margarita. The game was tied at 14 before the Eagles went in front 17-14. They led 21-20 before closing the game on a 4-1 run.

Game 3 (Esperanza 25-21)

Esperanza began to take control of the match, and it started early in Game 3. The Eagles led 3-2 but wouldn't hold a lead the rest of the game. The Aztecs led 15-10  and 20-16. Esperanza received improved hitting all the way around compared to Game 2, and their balanced attack began to take its toll. By this point the Eagles were only getting contributions from the outside and the Aztecs defense began covering the down the line shot much better. The Aztecs were also returning serve well, allowing them to keep the defense guessing where the set was going.

Game 4 (Esperanza 25-18)

The score remained tight early and was tied at 7. The Aztecs used a 5-1 run to gain control of the game and didn't look back. Esperanza's middles Josh Dohrman and Chris Dreim took over, getting their hands on balls and sending others down. The Eagles just had no way of slowing the Aztecs attack down.

Stat of the match: Esperanza had five players in double figure kills. Josh Dohrman 19 kills. Chris Hartig 13 kills. Chris Dreim 11 kills. Kevin Smith 11 kills. Tyler Russie 10 kills.

"We have five good attackers," Aztecs coach Isaac Owens said. "We have a good setter. We have a good libero. We aren't weak in one spot."

Player of the match: Brett Anderson. The Aztecs junior setter finished with 45 assists, but it was his leadership as much as his play that stuck out. He was instrumental in keeping his teammates cool on a few calls that went against his team. He also set unbelievable, keeping the defense guessing where the ball was going.

More from the boys volleyball blog:

• Boys volleyball: Esperanza beats Santa Margarita
• Boys volleyball: Esperanza captures Game 3
• Boys volleyball: Santa Margarita evens match
• Boys volleyball: Esperanza wins Game 1
• Boys volleyball: Live from Santa Margarita-Esperanza
• Boys volleyball: Division I Round 2 predictions
• Boys volleyball: Division I Round 2 outlook

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