Welch leads OCC past Santa Barbara

COSTA MESA — Two weeks without practicing finally took a toll on Kevin Welch at the wrong time.

Welch looked winded and the Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team lost his services.

The Pacific Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year sat on the bench uneasy, bad back and all. His team had just won back-to-back games after dropping Game 1. The chances of Welch reentering soon, not the greatest as Orange Coast Coach Travis Turner tried to save him.

Santa Barbara City College appeared in control and on its way to forcing a decisive Game 5 in the Southern California Regional playoffs Tuesday. Then the Pirates pulled out a gutsy performance without their leader, rallying for eight straight points to take a one-point lead.

Welch came back. The sophomore made sure OCC finished off the Vaqueros, helping the Pirates to a 25-30, 30-16, 32-30, 30-27 victory and a spot into the State Final Four for the second straight year.

When it ended, Welch didn’t know how to react right away. The former Corona del Mar High standout could’ve celebrated by diving head first on the floor like he did after OCC (14-6) claimed a tough third game.

The energy just wasn’t there after finishing with a match-high 24 kills, pushing his school record for career kills to 739.

Welch was worried Turner might reprimand him before the Pirates’ next big match against Santa Monica College (11-5) on Thursday at Irvine Valley College at 5:30 p.m.

The same way Turner did whenever an exhausted Welch grabbed a towel and got on his knees, wiping down every wet spot on the court.

“He kept telling me, ‘Get up!’ ” Welch said. “I don’t know what that was about. I haven’t practiced for like two weeks. I’ve kind of done a little stuff at practice. I shag a lot of balls.”

Turner wanted Welch chasing balls, hitting them, whatever possible on the court throughout the fourth game against the Vaqueros (11-7). But Turner said Welch’s aggressive style wore him down, costing the Pirates more than a player as they trailed, 18-11.

“I was very worried,” Turner said. “When I [substituted] out [for Welch], I didn’t want him over here cheering.”

Welch refrained at times. But how could he throughout the Pirates’ eight-point spurt in the fourth game? The Vaqueros committed six hitting errors and middle blocker Mike Stewart and opposite Tucker Alleborn delivered two big-time plays for OCC.

Stewart blocked a shot.

Alleborn scored on a service ace.

Each time the loudest praise came from Welch, who clapped as loud as humanly possible.

Everyone heard him, even the two Santa Monica College coaches scouting the match from atop the bleachers.

“We have this young team and we’ve kind of been doubted throughout the whole year,” said Welch, who led the way in OCC’s five-game win over Santa Monica on Feb. 13.

“We’re really capable of going the whole way.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.