Head of the class

Joseph Boo

CORONA DEL MAR - After Corona del Mar High’s girls volleyball team

defeated Laguna Beach twice this year, it was assumed that CdM will be

the new Pacific Coast League champion.

CdM, ranked No. 3 in the CIF State Division III poll, officially

validated that claim by defeating visiting University in three games

Tuesday, 15-10, 15-3, 15-11.

The win gives CdM (12-4, 7-0) its first PCL championship in the team’s

first year in the league. It also gives the Sea Kings their first title

of any kind since 1993.

“I think it’s pretty exciting,” CdM Coach Steve Conti said about the PCL

title. “We haven’t won anything since ‘93, so its nice.”

At first, it looked like Uni might keep CdM from the PCL crown. The Sea

Kings had to fight to win the first game, 15-10.

“They came in flat in the beginning,” Conti said about his team. “Then we

picked up the intensity in the second game.”

“We played well.”

CdM certainly did pick it up, crushing Uni, 15-3, in the second game.

The momentum carried the Sea Kings to a 10-5 lead in the third game. The

Trojans then staged a slight rally and closed it to 14-11 by aggressively

keeping balls in play. But Marissa Becker forced a Uni lift at the end

for a sideout, and CdM won the match on the next serve.

Conti cited the offensive play of Meghan Gallagher and Tracy Brown’s

defense. Lindsay Anstandig led a good serving game with three aces.

Despite the league championship, Conti stressed that the season is far

from over.

“It was one of our goals coming into the season,” he said. “but we still

have quite a few things we want to accomplish.”

Conti alluded to an undefeated league season, which it can attain at

Costa Mesa on Thursday.

Then, the Sea Kings get to host rival and CIF Southern Section Division

I’s top-ranked team, Newport Harbor. CdM lost to the Sailors in five

games two weeks ago, and CdM can close out its season in grand style with

a win on Friday.