Mesa remains unbeaten

Costa Mesa High’s girls volleyball team continues to dominate

Golden West League competition, but it took the Mustangs a few

minutes to get things in order. Once accomplished, however, it was no

contest as Coach Allison Salladin’s crew swept to a 6-15, 15-5,

16-14, 15-11 victory over Ocean View’s Seahawks Friday evening in the

winner’s gym.

Sharon Day was the ringleader with 16 kills, six blocks and an

ace, but, as usual, she had a lot of company.

Kristen Bagwell had nine kills and two blocks, Emily Abbott had

eight kills and a dozen digs, Jackie Havens had 18 assists, three

blocks and two aces, and Jenny Sparks had 21 assists.

“They played their hearts out,” said Salladin, “they deserved it.”

The victory improves Mesa’s record to 8-2, 7-0 in league play.

At the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, Newport Harbor’s

Sailors split two matches and will face Bishop Montgomery at 9 a.m.

today in the fifth-place semifinals at the same site, Santa Barbara

High.

Harbor rallied for a 10-15, 15-6, 15-11, 15-4 victory over

Bakersfield in its opener, keyed by the play of Kristin McClune (22

kills and three aces), Alyson Jennings (14 kills and eight digs),

Lauren Miller (11 kills), Emily Turner (four kills, two aces and five

digs) and Kellie King (52 assists). Also, freshman Bryana Carey, who

contributed four kills.

Buchanan High’s Bears from Clovis, however, appeared to have too

much muscle up front and sent the Sailors into the fifth-place

semifinals with a 15-13, 8-15, 15-4, 15-6 victory.

It was tied at 13-13 in the first game before two ball-handling

errors by Newport proved fatal.

“We just got a little tired,” said Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn.

“We needed our best and we didn’t do it.”

McClune had 17 kills and Jennings had 15 kills. King had 45

assists.

On the community college level, Orange Coast College got past host

Golden West in a four-game decision in Huntington Beach, 30-28,

30-28, 37-39, 30-28.

The Pirates were down by a 25-20 count in Game 4 before running

off seven straight points, and Melissa Zapinian, who had 16 kills and

27 digs, finished the Rustlers off.

The Pirates had a good chance to sweep, but wasted three match

serves in Game 3.

Kelly Overby was Coast’s kill leader with 19, and Krystle Davis

(16) added her contributions.

Elisha Kounts had 41 assists and Davis had four aces.

Coach Chuck Cutenese cited the play of Kristine Ryan, whose four

stuff blocks and 12 assist blocks were key. “Her presence at the net

was a big factor for us,” said Cutenese, who saw his team improve to

10-0, 4-0 in the Orange Empire Conference. Golden West falls to 4-3,

2-2.