VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS

Venice d. Bell, 15-6, 16-14, 15-6--An inability to repeat an early-season performance resulted in a season-ending loss for the Bell boys’ team. The Eagles lost Thursday to the third-seeded Gondoliers in a City Section 4-A quarterfinal playoff at Venice.

Bell, which defeated the two-time 3-A champion Gondoliers in four games in a practice match in March, was unable to hold on to a 14-12 lead in the pivotal second game.

Venice (12-5), the Western League runner-up, rallied for four consecutive points to win the second game, and scored the first five points of the third game en route to an 8-1 advantage.

Sixth-seeded Bell (16-3), the Eastern League’s No. 2 entrant, closed to 10-6 on a service ace by Rick Lopez, who had a match-high 19 kills, but the Gondoliers ran off five points in a row to secure the victory.

Saul Espinoza added 17 kills and nine blocks for Bell. Colin Fawcett and Brian Rivera had 17 and 11 kills for Venice.