Success in play

Barry Faulkner

Spectators attending Newport Harbor High girls volleyball matches

this fall may want to find seats as far away from the net as possible

in order to avoid any repetitive motion disorders that may afflict

the necks of those witnessing the back-and-forth of the Sailors’

marathon rallies.

“Hopefully, we can be like Manuel Orantes when he won the 1975

U.S. Open,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “All he did was keep

the ball in play and that’s our philosophy this year. Last year, if

the ball went over five times, we either got a kill or hit it out.

But this year, we have such good defenders, we want to keep the ball

in play and let the other team make a mistake.”

The shift in style, however, should not be mistaken for weakness,

as this year’s Sailors enter Thursday’s season opener against

nonleague visitor Laguna Beach as the top-ranked team in CIF Southern

Section Division II-AA.

The Tars were CIF II-AA runners-up a year ago and reigning

champion Mira Costa, which swept the Sailors in the title match, has

moved up to Division I-A.

“We basically lost four starters (including first-team All-CIF

Division II performers Liz Lord and Katie King),” Glenn said. “But we

have some girls back who played a lot last year to go with our two

returning starters.”

One of the returning starters is 6-foot-3 senior Kristin McClune,

who earned first-team All-CIF recognition last season and recently

committed to Pepperdine. Glenn plans to utilize McClune at middle

blocker, where the combination of superior ball control and junior

setter Kelly King figure to make her a dangerous offensive weapon.

“We have to make sure we’re able to get her the ball, but I think

we have the kind of ball control that can do it,” Glenn said. “She’s

a little stronger and a little bigger this year than she was last

year, but I still think her best volleyball is ahead of her. That’s

not to say she’s not good right now, but I’m going to enjoy watching

her get better every day.”

King, who steps in for her older sister Katie, who ran the offense

the last three seasons, has worked hard to make the most of her

opportunity.

“We have some pretty good athletes on this team, but Kelly is

holding her own with them,” Glenn said. “She came into the season in

really good shape and she has worked on the things she needed to

improve on. I’m usually pretty hard on my setters, but I know I’ll

never have to get on her about not working hard enough.”

Among King’s other primary setting targets will be Alyson

Jennings, a 5-8 junior outside hitter who earned second-team All-Sea

View League last year, when the Tars earned a share of their eight

league title in nine seasons en route to finishing 22-11.

“Alyson is very quick and athletic and I’m trying to get her to

use her speed on the court,” Glenn said. “She’s going to have to have

a bigger role for us offensively this year. She’ll also be jump

serving some this year.”

Emily Turner, a 5-8 junior, will start opposite the setter and

Glenn believes she has the ability to add hitting to her prowess in

the back row.

“She plays Libero for her club team, because she’s phenomenal in

the back row,” Glenn said. “But with the people we’ve lost, we need

her to be more of an offensive player.”

Glenn said Turner’s leaping ability should allow her to provide a

strong hitting presence.

Elizabeth Clayton, a 5-8 junior, is battling for the other outside

hitter spot with Kiley Hall, a 5-8 sophomore, and 5-11 junior Lindsey Miller, the MVP of the junior varsity last year.

“Clayton played some back row for us and she was our fourth

outside hitter last year,” Glenn said. “Kiley was hurt last year on

the JV, but she has improved a ton. Miller could play both outside

and in the middle. She’s going to start in the middle against Laguna

Beach.”

Bryana Carey, a 6-0 freshman whose older sister Jennifer was a

decorated four-year star at Harbor and is now a setter at Hawaii, is

another factor in the middle.

“I expect (Carey) to play some and do a good job and she

definitely gives us more size,” Glenn said.

Whitney George, a 5-5 senior, and Jordan Carmack, a 5-8 senior,

add to the team’s strength in the back row and Carmack is the also

the backup setter.

Shelly Langford, a 5-11 senior, adds depth in the middle, while

senior Christina Fulce and junior Alexis Kerns are additional

backups.

Glenn believes the team’s strong defense could provide a

foundation for great success.

“High school girls are getting bigger and stronger, but there’s

nothing better as a coach than having a team break another team’s

back with defense,” Glenn said.

The Sailors will get to test their defensive prowess against

nationally ranked teams in the Nike Challenge near Chicago, Oct. 4-5.

Newport’s schedule also includes Mater Dei , ranked No. 1 in the

CIF Division II-A preseason poll (Sept. 25), as well as Back Bay

rival Corona del Mar (Nov. 8 at CdM).