Sailors win a classic

Bryce Alderton

Alyson Jennings called it surreal. Lauren Miller described it as the

“most intense match” she has been in this year.

A thousand words could be used to describe what can only be called

a classic CIF Southern Section Davison II-AA girls volleyball

semifinal won by visiting Newport Harbor High, 27-25, 12-25, 22-25,

25-19, 17-15, against host Edison Tuesday night.

Kellie King fed Jennings for the final two of her 14 kills and

once the ball hit the hardwood on the other side of the net, the

Sailors stormed the floor and fell to the ground in a pile

celebrating a match where they had to win the final two games to

prevail.

Senior outside hitter Alexis Kerns told her teammates, “We played

like a team,” as they emerged to welcome parents and friends with

hugs.

“It’s so exciting,” said Miller, one of eight seniors who were

determined not to let their season and Newport career end. “It was so

close, point after point, it went back and forth. I just tried to

stay focused and not look at the score.”

Miller tallied a team-high 16 kills, skying over the net

repeatedly to pepper shots down the line. She also had four service

aces, two coming when she served nine consecutive points to give

Newport a 24-18 lead in Game 4.

“We had a reality check and said, ‘Who wants it more?’ ” Miller

said. “We wanted to keep our senior year going.”

Newport led the fourth game, 10-5, but Edison claimed 13 of the

next 18 points to take an 18-15 lead before Miller’s aforementioned

streak of serves began.

A veteran-laden Sailor squad kept its composure in a raucous gym.

“I don’t think anyone stopped believing,” Jennings said. “This

team has tremendous heart. This is why we work hard in the long

matches, to keep pushing.”

Newport sustained its endurance while Edison players showed signs

of fatigue. Legs began to give and balls found the net with more

regularity.

The Sailors (24-5), seeded second in Division II-AA, began

clogging the middle in the final two games using junior Kiley Hall,

Taryn Tarnutzer and Holland Osadche to deter the Chargers from

finding holes they took advantage of in the first two games.

Neither team led by more than two points in the fifth game. The

Sailors twice had match point, but they hit two balls long to give

serve back to Edison. A Miller kill gave serve back to the Sailors

and King served the final two points.

Senior outside hitter Emily Turner tallied 11 kills while Hall

added eight to go with four by junior Taryn Tarnutzer and one by

Osadche.

The Chargers (17-3), seeded third, were led by 24 kills from

Colleen Burke to go with 13 by Ashley Collier. Three ace serves by

Kari Pestolesi sealed the victory for the Chargers in Game 3, sending

the home crowd and Charger bench into a frenzy.

“Edison is a great team,” Newport Coach Dan Glenn said as Misty

May, among many others, congratulated him. Glenn coached May, an

Association of Volleyball Professionals tour champion, at Newport.

“We made some unforced errors, even in Game 1, and some mental

mistakes, not to take anything away from Edison,” Glenn said. “It was

a great match with a good crowd. I love to watch kids play.

“I am so happy for the seniors. I really have a special attachment

with this group.”

Glenn leads the Sailors to their 12th appearance in a CIF section

final since 1974. The Sailors, winners of eight CIF crowns, face

top-seeded Mira Costa, a three-game winner over Capistrano Valley,

Friday or Saturday at Cypress College. Mira Costa swept Newport in

the 2001 final.

“We’ve waited the whole season to play them,” Miller said. “In my

four years, we’ve never beaten [Mira Costa], so we will be ready.”