Girls volleyball: Sailors’ Cullen completes comeback

Barry Faulkner

HUNTINGTON BEACH - There is the huge, glistening, state-of-the-art

black knee brace that engulfs her right leg like a shark bite. And there

remains the subconscious sheepishness that forces her to favor her

once-shredded anterior cruciate ligament.

But, for the first time in her senior year, there was nothing else

keeping Newport Harbor High middle blocker Heather Cullen from showing

the talent that landed her a scholarship to UCLA.

Limited to three brief back-row appearances for the Sailors last fall,

Cullen officially concluded the rehabilitation process that allowed her

to enjoy a full club campaign Friday night at Edison High.

And, starting for the South girls, who defeated the North, 25-21,

20-25, 15-13, in the Dave Mohs Memorial Orange County All-Star Match,

Cullen savored her prep swan song with new-found appreciation.

“I had soooo much fun,” she gushed, after compiling three kills and at

least triple that amount of hugs from well-wishers following the match.

“It just felt good to be out there.”

Cullen connected for a kill on her first swing to put the South,

including Newport Harbor teammate Taylor Govaars and Corona del Mar

standout Lindsay Anstandig, up, 1-0, in the opening game.

Cullen’s second swing also produced a kill and her third kill found

the baseline to put the Rebels up, 22-18.

“I was a little surprised to get a chance to play in this match, but

it was a pretty good feeling,” Cullen said.

Cullen said her knee also feels extremely good, these days, as she

prepares for the finale of her club season, the annual Volleyball

Festival, scheduled the final week of June at UC Davis.

“I feel like I’m 100%, but I have a few little (injuries) from

favoring my leg.”

Anstandig, bound for Merrack University, contributed four kills to the

cause, while Deleware-bound Govaars can also savor a victory in the her

final match as a prep.

But, Cullen said, winning was not the driving force in the all-star

format.

“We came in thinking winning was no big deal, which is weird, because

so many of us are competitors,” Cullen said.

That competitiveness appeared to kick in for the South, which pulled

away after being tied, 6-6, in the deciding game, then had to surge, once

again, after the North pulled even at 12-12.

Christina Vick, a 6-1 middle blocker from San Clemente, was named Most

Valuable Player, while Irvine senior Jody Carlson was another catalyst

for the South.