PREP ROUNDUP : Corona del Mar Rallies, Upsets Newport Harbor

The Corona del Mar girls’ volleyball team has taken its share of lumps so far this season, but don’t count out the Sea Kings just yet.

Corona del Mar, ranked eighth in Orange County, served serious notice to Sea View League opponents with a 5-15, 15-10, 15-5, 15-9 victory over third-ranked Newport Harbor Tuesday night in the league opener for both teams at Newport Harbor.

The Sea Kings, the defending state Division I champions, stumbled to a 2-5 start this season before Tuesday night’s upset.

“This win was huge,” Corona del Mar Coach Mark Rivadeneyra said. “Especially coming into Newport’s place and winning.”

Corona del Mar (3-5, 1-0) didn’t exactly get off to a good start.

Playing without starting middle blocker Kim Smith, who injured her knee in practice Monday and is out indefinitely, the Sea Kings were outscored 10-1, during one stretch in the first game.

But Corona del Mar adjusted its serving attack before the second game, taking Newport Harbor’s Tara Kroesch out of the hitting attack by serving to her. Kroesch had nine kills and Maureen McLaren 19 for Newport Harbor (7-3, 0-1).

“The serving was the key,” Rivadeneyra said. “We wanted to keep the ball away from McLaren and Kroesch, and we served Kroesch and wanted her to pass the ball instead of hitting.”

The Sea Kings finished with nine aces, including three by setter Caren McKinley. McKinley, who shared the setting duties with Kim Coleman, also had 24 assists.

Corona del Mar built a 9-2 lead in the second game, a 10-5 lead in the third game and led, 10-6, in the fourth. Jennifer Stroffe came off the bench, getting 14 kills, and starters Charmayne Conley and Allison Englebrecht added 12 and nine kills, respectively.

“Corona del Mar just kicked our butts,” Newport Harbor Coach Danny Glenn said. “They’re a young team (two sophomores, two juniors starting) and we got up on them early. But they came back.”

Newport Harbor’s setting struggled without freshman starter Misty May, who missed Monday’s practice with a foot injury.