2000 Girls Volleyball Dream Team

Tony Altobelli

Talk about some big shoes to fill.

Newport Harbor High senior standout Taylor Govaars, labeled as the

“go-to girl” at the beginning of the season by girls volleyball coach Dan

Glenn, helped lead a young Sailors program to the CIF Southern Section

Division I-A quarterfinals and tops the All-Newport-Mesa District Dream

Team as Player of the Year.

“She’s the ultimate team player,” Glenn said of his 5-foot-11 outside

hitter, headed for Delaware in the fall. “She’s a great hitter, passer

and defender. Her all-around game is very strong and her skills will suit

her well at Delaware.”

Govaars was first-team All-Sea View League, as well as second-team

All-CIF Division I-A this year. She was the main factor in the Sailors’

success, despite the loss of nine graduated players and UCLA-bound senior

Heather Cullen (torn ACL).

Joining Govaars on this year’s Dream Team are Harbor teammates Liz

Lord, Colby George and Alyson Jennings, Corona del Mar standouts Lindsay

Anstandig, Sara Deming, Jacqueline Becker and Kate Petry, as well as

Costa Mesa senior Casey Peterson. All are first-time selections.

Lord, a 5-11 junior middle blocker, joined Govaars as a first-team

All-Sea View League choice. “She’s a very athletic player, who will be

looked upon as a go-to girl next season,” Glenn said. “She can also play

many positions and the great thing is, she still has a lot of room to

improve.”

George, a 5-9 senior setter, was a second-team all-league pick and was

looked upon by Glenn as a team leader. “I think she was surprised when I

told her that,” Glenn said. “She’s a real sweet kid who worked and worked

and worked all year long to being the best player she could be.”

Jennings reached the Dream Team as a 5-7 freshman outside hitter. She

was a second-team all-leaguer and Glenn sees nothing but unbelievable

potential in her future. “Right now, she’s not great at any one thing,

but she’s good at a bunch of things,” he said. “Her learning curve is

very big and she did a great job of fitting at the varsity level.”

Anstandig, a 5-10 senior outside hitter, helped the Sea Kings reach

the CIF Division III-AA semifinals, en route to the Division III state

playoffs. A second-team All-Pacific Coast League selection, she was

first-team All-CIF Division III.

“She’s got tremendous offensive power and is a dangerous weapon from

the service line,” CdM Coach Steve Conti said. “She’s looking at a few

different schools and wherever she decides to go, the school will be

fortunate to have her.”

Deming, a 5-11 senior, was first-team All-PCL and All-CIF Division

III. “She was our most improved player this year,” Conti said. “She was

an effective offensive player and secondary setter for us. She played

with 100% passion and heart for the game.”

Becker, the Sea Kings’ 5-8 junior setter, also made first-team

All-PCL, as well as first-team All-CIF Division III. “She’s one tough

competitor,” Conti said. “She played outstanding defense for us and

understood the flow of the game very well. She was always in the right

position on the court.”

Petry was a second-team All-PCL pick as a 5-9 senior outside hitter.

“Following her car accident, she had an incredible season this year,”

Conti said. “The last month of the season, she was at 100% and played

outstanding. She was our old reliable on the court and she played hard on

every single point.”

Peterson, a 6-0 senior middle blocker, was the main weapon on Coach

Darlene Bailey’s squad.

A first-team All-PCL choice, Peterson even caught the praise of a

rival coach. “It’s nice to see her get the recognition she deserves,”

Conti said of Peterson, who plays with many of her fellow Dream Teamers

at the Orange County Volleyball Club. “She’s a great player and a fine

athlete.”