Daily Pilot High School Athlete of the Week, Krista Dill: High and

mighty

Barry Faulkner

When Newport Harbor High girls volleyball coach Dan Glenn reveals

his players look up to teammate Krista Dill, it has little to do with the

senior middle blocker’s height.

For while being 6-foot-2 is an advantage at the net, Dill’s lofty

reputation has been forged more by attitude than altitude, more by her

focus on the team, than the top of opposing blockers’ heads.

“She’s one of our three captains and the kids respect her a lot,” said

Glenn, who counts himself among the impressed. “She’s a great person, a

great student and a role model for all our girls.”

When Dill, who will continue collegiately at Duke, isn’t busy being a

role model, she holds down a leading role on the three-time CIF Southern

Section Division I-AA champions.

She added 13 kills -- with only one hitting error -- five blocks, strong

serving and capable passing to the Sailors’ latest section title

conquest, a 15-4, 15-8, 15-9 dismantling of perennial power Mira Costa

Nov. 20 at Cypress College. It was the first time any section school had

won three straight major-division girls volleyball crowns.

“She’s been a big part of all three title teams,” Glenn said of the

recent run, which includes a Division I state title last year.

The Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week is also a leading reason the Tars

(34-2) are top-seeded in this fall’s state tournament, which continues

with a regional semifinal showdown tonight against visiting Mater Dei.

“It’s been amazing,” Dill said of her success as a Sailor. “It’s all from

hard work, great coaching and excellent tradition. Playing at Newport has

been the best four years of my volleyball career and I’m not ready for

that to end.”

Dill’s development has been never-ending, according to her coach, who has

regularly utilized her in the back row this season.

“She’s improved in the backcourt and developed a great serve,” Glenn

said. “She gotten to be an all-around player who can be on the floor all

the time and never be a liability.”

And, Glenn believes, Dill, a featured hitting weapon in the Tars’

transition game as well as a formidable blocker, has her best volleyball

ahead of her.

“There’s still a lot of areas I can improve upon and I show that in every

match I play,” Dill said. “I’ve really focused in on my senior year,

because I believe I owe it to the team. It has been a great opportunity

to play with such talented girls and everyone has stepped it up this

year. Any team that plays us can’t look out and find a weak link. I know

I wouldn’t want to play us.”

While Dill enjoys the net game, she said she has come to appreciate the

less vertical atmosphere of the back row.

“I love the back row,” she said. “It’s probably one of the most fun parts

of playing the middle. It’s neat to be able to go through the rotation

and service receive.”

Glenn credits much of Dill’s athletic development to competing in the

shot put and discus.

Dill, who won Sea View League titles in both events as a junior, said it

has obviously improved her upper-body strength and competitiveness.

“Track has helped me develop in volleyball and volleyball has helped me

in track,” she said.

There is one aspect of volleyball Dill much prefers to her spring

sporting pursuit.

“There’s nothing like the feeling of competing as a team,” she said.

“It’s such a pleasure to play a team sport.”

Like most Newport Harbor standouts, Dill covets the high-profile,

high-pressure atmosphere heightened as the postseason rolls along.

“I love playing at Cypress College (the site of the last three section

championship victories and the state title match last season, as well as

this season),” Dill said. “I just love the competition and I think I tend

to play better in the big matches.”

With Dill’s lofty contributions, the Sailors’ unprecedented pursuit of

championships is anything but a tall tale.