Girls volleyball: Sweet Revenge

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - With the Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team

up 2-0 in games over Back Bay rival Corona del Mar Friday, Sailors senior

Lindsay Miller crushed any nervous doubts her coach Dan Glenn had.

“We’ve been here before,” Glenn told his Sailors in the huddle before

Game 3, referring to the CdM comeback from a 2-0 hole on Sept. 20. Miller

responded: “That won’t happen again coach.”

And with that, the Sailors (18-9) closed out the Sea Kings, building a

12-3 lead for a 15-7 Game 3 win, to cap a sweep (15-11, 15-6) that took

about 70 minutes, ending the regular season for both teams, at Newport

Harbor.

“The kids stepped up tonight,” Glenn said. “Andrea Trinen (eight

kills) really stepped it up and Christine Woller (six kills and one

service ace) had one of her better games. We’re getting better. That’s

the first time in a long time we played well. CdM had a great first game.

We were playing good and they were right there with us. I was hoping it

wouldn’t last on their side.”

The first game had enough drama and excitement that would give most

goosebumps, as there were six ties and eventful rallies. On the sixth

tie, 10-10, Newport made its move with Trinen serving. Kristin McClune

(nine kills) came up with a rare set and assisted sophomore Alyson

Jennings, who slapped a sweet tip over the net and onto CdM’s side,

untouched for an 11-10 lead. Jennings slammed 12 kills to share

match-high honors with CdM’s Morgan Smith and Claire Allen, a junior

transfer from Newport Harbor.

Newport gained a 12-10 lead as result of senior Liz Lord’s dig, which

led to a CdM error. Lord later ended the game with her serve that led to

a McClune kill off an assist from senior Katie King, who amassed 33

assists and five digs. CdM senior setter Jacqueline Becker also compiled

33 assists and had a dump for a kill, like King.

“Our seniors had never lost to CdM (with the exception of Sept. 20),”

Glenn said. “When you play Corona, as a coach, you don’t have to say much

to get them fired up. I kind of looked at this as a playoff game. This is

definitely momentum for us. I’ve always felt (the Sailors are) better

than their record. It’s one thing to say it, now we have to show it.”

Meanwhile, after a lengthy after-match team meeting with his Sea Kings

(17-6), Coach Bill Christiansen remained optimistic of his squad’s

potential.

“When this team is on, we have a chance to win CIF,” Christiansen

said. “Newport played outstanding defense. When we did hit the ball in,

they dug it. We’ll get our confidence back. We’ll never have another

(match) like tonight.”

The Sailors controlled Game 2 by building a 10-3 lead. They led 5-3,

then Jennings served for five straight points. The run included a wild

rally when CdM’s Eleanor Mack (seven kills) and King dug for key hits,

and the rally ended with a kill by Lord off an assist from King for a 9-3

lead. Trinen went high for a kill for the next point, prompting a CdM

timeout. To reach game point, Woller and Lord skied to block a potential

CdM kill, and a Sea King error ended the game.

After the match, the rivalry subsided but for a few moments, when

Woller hugged Allen at center court.