CdM edges Artists in five

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Three hours after Corona del Mar High and Laguna

Beach’s girls volleyball teams started their grueling, dramatic and

emotional match, Jamie Brownell spiked a ball from the left side to

finally give the Sea Kings the 14-16, 15-7, 9-15, 15-13, 17-15 victory

Tuesday night.

This was one of those knock-down and dragged-out type of battles that

left both teams staggering at the end. In all there were a combined 136

sideouts, and some rallies lasted excruciatingly long. The big effort

from both teams was understandable. CdM was 2-2 entering it’s first

Pacific Coast League match after two close defeats and wanted to avoid a

losing record.

“This is really, really important for us,” CdM Coach Steve Conti said.

“We got close so many times in a couple of losses. This is very important

for our confidence.”

Laguna Beach, on the other hand, was the 11-time defending league champ

which won over 100 league games in a row. But it was 1-3 overall entering

the match, and the Artists desperately needed the victory to keep

themselves out of a big hole.

The drama started from the very first set. The Sea Kings got off to a

quick, 4-0, start in the first game before Laguna Beach scored 11 points

in a row. CdM retaliated with six straight points, and Jacqueline Becker

served an ace to tie it up, 11-11.

The Artists responded with three points in a row, but CdM tied the match

up again. Laguna Beach finally won the first set, 16-14, with a tip from

Katie Roark.

The Sea Kings came back and won the second game easily, 15-7. Laguna

Beach answered with a 15-9 win in the third game to take a 2-1 lead.

Laguna Beach then took a 3-0 lead in game four.

CdM then got on a roll. Helped by two aces from Becker and five kills

from Dimitra Havriluk, the Sea Kings took a 11-5 lead. But Laguna Beach’s

height brought it back with two blocks. The Artist soon found themselves

down, 13-14, but they hit the ball in the net to tie the match up at 2.

It seemed as if CdM would win the fifth game, and the match after it

jumped out to a 9-4 lead. After the match was tied at four, Havriluk

reeled off four points in a row, with a block and three kills. The run

was capped off by another Becker ace. Laguna Beach then mounted yet

another comeback, as Kellie Cramm started notching some of her 32 kills.

CdM managed to fight off a mini-rally and had match point with a 14-8

lead. Then it seemed like the roof started caving in. The Artists scored

six straight points to tie the match

The Sea Kings led, 16-15, after a Meghan Gallagher block. After another

tie, Brownell pulled off an improbable diving dig that barely stayed in

to give the Sea Kings the serve. Laguna Beach netted the ball, and both

teams exchanged sideouts. Then Brownell ended the match with the spike

that left the Sea Kings tired, but jubilant.

“I just told them (after losing the 14-8 lead) to play to win instead of

playing not to lose,” Conti said.

Havriluk led the team’s offense with 43 kills in the long match. Becker

had 63 assists and five aces. Brownell held the team together during some

stretches and pulled out the big play at the end. She finished with 15

kills, 29 digs, two blocks and two aces.