Girls volleyball: Winning combination

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - Bill Christiansen has been the Corona del Mar High

varsity girls volleyball coach for less than a month and has practiced

with the team for little more than two weeks. But the honeymoon still

isn’t over.

Christiansen, who spent the last five seasons as the CdM girls junior

varsity coach and varsity assistant, predicted in mid-August that this

year’s group would play for CIF Southern Section and CIF State titles.

Now, heading into Friday’s opener against visiting Huntington Beach,

Christiansen is even more confident about his team.

“I’m even more optimistic now,” he said Tuesday. “We’ve made a little

lineup switch that I think will make us much better. “We’ve had to mix

things up, because we added three transfers and six junior varsity girls.

But I don’t think there’s anybody else out there mixing it up with the

talent we have. These girls have shown me I wasn’t a lunatic when I

predicted we’d win the Pacific Coast League, Southern Section and state

titles in our division.”

Returning senior starters Jacqueline Becker, an All-CIF setter last

fall who is being recruited by Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Duke and Brown,

and Katie Duggan, have been supplemented by talented transfers Claire

Brown and Morgan Smith, as well as what Christiansen terms a fabulous

freshman class.

The 5-foot-8 Becker, entering her third season as a varsity starter,

is among the best setters in the nation, according to Christensen, who

marvels at her mastery of the game.

“She’s just rock solid in every single fundamental there is,”

Christiansen said. “She’s one of the best servers and best setters

anywhere, she might be our best passer and she even blocks and hits well.

She’s the kind of player who comes along about once every 10 years.”

Duggan, 6-0, started in the middle for last year’s 18-11 team, which

shared the PCL crown, advanced to the section Division III-AA semifinals

and made the state playoffs under then-coach Steve Conti. But she’ll be

moved to outside hitter this fall, an adjustment Christiansen believes

will make the Sea Kings even more dangerous.

“I think she’s way better outside,” Christiansen said. “And she’s

greatly improved her defense in the club season, so I see her going all

the way around (the rotation).”

Allen, a 6-0 junior outside hitter who started at Newport Harbor last

year, brings a wealth of talent from across the Back Bay.

“She’s an outstanding hitter from the right side, an outstanding

blocker, an A-plus server and she’ll set about 50% of the time, so we can

use Becker as a hitter.

Smith, a key reserve for the Monarchs last year, is a 5-10

left-hander, who will add to what Christiansen calls his four hammers.

“She just crushes a variety of sets from the right side and she’s a

good hitter from the left side, too,” Christiansen said. “And, her

blocking is excellent.”

Eleanor Mack, a 5-9 senior outside hitter, adds to the hitting arsenal

and will also be counted on defensively.

“(Mack) will play a great deal as an outside hitter and start

occasionally,” Christiansen said. “She’ll also play a great deal as a

defensive specialist. She brings huge energy to the court.”

Freshmen Lindsay Ensign and Britta Nielson are a pair of 5-10 middle

blockers with promise.

“(Ensign) is only 13 years old, but she hits a slide like a senior,

which is amazing,” Christiansen said. “And (Nielson) is an excellent

all-around hitter.”

Christiansen also believes Brittany Berges, a 5-10 junior, will

contribute in the middle.

“(Berges) brings tons of consistency and she won’t get rattled,”

Christiansen said. Berges is among those up from the junior varsity team

that did not lose a PCL match.

Jordan Smith, Morgan’s sister, is a 5-10 freshman outside hitter, from

whom Christiansen expects big things.

“She’s another outstanding outside hitter,” Christiansen said.

Michelle Burgner, a 5-9 junior outside hitter, shared MVP laurels on the

junior varsity last season.

Sophomore Ashley Bill was the starting setter on the JV last season,

while Mackenzie Conover, another sophomore, will also provide depth at

the setter spot.

Junior Alissa Zoelle, the Newport-Mesa District Player of the Year in

softball last spring, returns to the varsity, where she will add

defensive skills and a wicked serve.

“I expect her to get two or three points every time she serves,” said

Christiansen, who said the majority of his players will jump serve.

Lauren Snell, a 5-9 sophomore outside hitter, should also get varsity

seasoning.

“I think we have an incredible nucleus of three A-plus players

(Becker, Allen and Morgan Smith),” Christiansen said. “As soon as I get

the other girls to mesh with them, I think we’re going to be pretty hard

to beat.”

CdM roster

Jacqueline Becker 5-8 Sr. S

Claire Allen 6-0 Jr. OH

Morgan Smith 5-10 Sr. OH

Katie Duggan 6-0 Sr. OH

Eleanor Mack 5-9 Sr. OH

Lindsay Ensign 5-10 Fr. MB

Britta Nielson 5-10 Fr. MB

Jordan Smith 5-10 Fr. OH

Brittany Berges 5-10 Jr. MB

Michelle Burgner 5-9 Jr. OH

Ashley Bill 5-4 So. S

Mackenzie Conover 5-11 So. S

Lauren Snell 5-9 So. OH

Alissa Zoelle 5-5 Jr. DS

Coach: Bill Christiansen