Sailors bid for upset in showdown

Barry Faulkner

Circumstances have changed since Mater Dei High defeated visiting

Newport Harbor, 25-18, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21, in an early season

nonleague girls volleyball match Sept. 24.

But when the two teams reconnect at 7 tonight in the semifinals of

the CIF State Division II regional championships in the Monarchs’

gym, Sailors Coach Dan Glenn is hoping for a different outcome.

“One of their top kids [Brynn Maurer, senior Newport Beach

resident who has signed with the University of San Francisco] barely

played with a bad ankle [Sept. 24],” Glenn said. “They’re a lot

different than when we saw them, but I think both teams have a whole

different look.”

The Sailors (26-6) are paced by Division I college signees Alyson

Jennings (Texas) and Lauren Miller (Baylor), while fellow seniors

Emily Turner, Holland Osandche and Kellie King also join junior Kiley

Hall in Glenn’s starting unit.

Jennings, a 5-foot-9 setter and outside hitter, had a team-high 14

kills and added 19 assists in the Tars’ 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-15

regional quarterfinal win over Scripps Ranch Tuesday in San Diego.

Miller, a 5-10 senior outside hitter, had seven kills and seven

aces Tuesday.

The Sailors, seeded No. 5 in the eight-team regional field, lost

to Mira Costa in the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA title match

Nov. 22.

Mater Dei (32-3), the No. 1 SoCal seed in Division II, handled

Mount Whitney, 25-6, 25-12, 25-17, in Tuesday’s quarterfinal.

The Monarchs won their third straight Southern Section II-A crown

and are, Glenn said, ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in California.

“To get a state title, we knew we’d have to go through Mater Dei,”

Glenn said. “[The Monarchs] have a lot of weapons, but I feel really

good about my team. We’re senior dominated and I think our kids are

prepared to play a match like this.”