Running on all cylinders

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - If the word “tuneup” is ever to be used in a

non-car related manner, then the girls volleyball game between No. 1

Newport Harbor High and visiting Woodbridge certainly provided it Tuesday

night.

The Sailors used their entire bench in a 15-8, 15-6, 15-2, sweep of

Woodbridge. The Sea View League decision improves the Sailors to 16-1

going into their big match Friday night against Orange County’s No.

2-rated team, Mater Dei.

“We were getting everybody in,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “We

used this lineup before, and we have to use this lineup. We have to get

everybody ready.”

Whether Newport Harbor could get any readier is in doubt. The Sailors

showed they have a deeper cast than a Woody Allen movie. Here’s the

rundown.

Brenda Waterman led Newport Harbor with seven kills. Most of her time at

outside hitter was in the first game, where she had five.

April Ross, Newport Harbor’s kill-meister, led the team with 15 assists,

and only had four kills in two games. Three of those four were tips off

bad volleys over the net.

Katie King started off with eight assists in the first game before

resting in the second. She had 10 for the game.

Krista Dill entered in the second game and started it with two blocks in

a row. She had five kills, four digs, three blocks and an ace.

Other notables were Taylor Govaars with four kills, Heather Cullens with

five kills and seven digs, Andrea Schutz with two kills, two digs and an

ace in one game, Signe Hillyard with four assists and two aces that

closed out the match, and Shannon Backus with three kills, six digs and

an ace.

Picking one player who excelled is impossible. The point is, Newport

Harbor can do a lot more than a King-to-Ross kill, and the Sailors showed

it against Woodbridge. All the different lineups is just the Sailors’ way

of flexing their muscles in front of the mirror. After all, it has to get

ready for that fight with the Monarchs on Friday. But first, Tuesday’s

reward:

“I’m giving the girls a day off tomorrow,” Glenn said. “We haven’t had

one of those in a while.”