Familiar faces dot landscape

Bryce Alderton

No matter where Corona del Mar High girls volleyball coach Bill

Christiansen looks on the court this season, he will most often find

experience and depth at nearly every position.

That is what eight returning seniors, six of them starters, will

do.

Many of them have played together for several years, which gives

Christiansen even more optimism heading into his fourth year at the

helm.

CdM reached the CIF Southern Section Division III-A title match --

the program’s first CIF final appearance since 1997 -- and the state

tournament last year and a majority of the corps from that team

returns.

Another year older and another year wiser, Christiansen believes.

“They have a lot of [CIF] playoff [matches] under their belt and

they are looking forward to making a good run and winning a lot,”

Christiansen said. “They have all have improved dramatically.”

CdM had reached the CIF semifinals five straight years from

1998-2002.

Middle blocker Lindsey Ensign, outside hitter Jordan Smith and

defensive specialist Breanne Ogden, all seniors, return following

All-CIF seasons. Ensign garnered first-team recognition while Ogden

and Smith were named to the second team for Division III.

The trio helped lead the Orange County Volleyball Club to the

Girls Volleyball Festival 18s championship with a sudden-death

victory over Empire Volleyball Club July 1 in Reno, Nev. The age

bracket included 140 teams that included squads from Canada, Puerto

Rico and others from across the United States.

Smith, who plans to continue her volleyball career at UCLA next

year, and Ensign each earned first-team All-Pacific Coast League

honors last fall. Both played varsity as freshmen. Ogden, a

three-year varsity member, will attend the University of San Diego

and Ensign is being recruited by Princeton, Yale and UC Berkeley,

Christiansen said.

Smith will be joined on the outside by seniors Britta Nielsen, a

returning starter and four-year varsity player, and Shannon McMenomy,

while seniors Erica Solis and Rylee Dennis provide more power at

middle blocker.

Christiansen will likely use two setters, senior returner Traci

Lawson and sophomore Kelly Christian.

Senior Jordan Anae, a member of Sea King CIF champion girls water

polo and swimming teams last year, gives Christiansen another option

at setter. Junior outside hitter Taylor Beauchamp and sophomore

middle blocker Kasey Kipp make their varsity debuts this fall.

The Sea Kings also bring some height into this season. CdM

averages 5 feet, 10 inches, with Dennis (6-2) and Ensign (6-0) being

the two tallest players.

Ogden and Lawson stand 5-6 and 5-7, respectively, but make up for

it in leaping ability, Christiansen said.

“I could put Ogden in the front row because she has a massive

vertical jump,” Christiansen said.

The Sea Kings leap into a nonleague schedule -- beginning with

today’s opener at Huntington Beach at 6 p.m. -- that includes matches

against Edison, San Clemente, Santa Margarita and the annual Back Bay

clash against Newport Harbor. The Sailors defeated Edison in a

memorable five-set CIF Division II-AA semifinal match last fall.

CdM will also compete in the Dave Mohs tournament at Edison and

was invited to play against teams from across the U.S. in the Nike

Challenge Oct. 1-2 at Mother McAuley High in Chicago.

The road for the Sea Kings doesn’t figure to get any easier once

league play begins, either.

Christiansen said any one of four teams, including CdM, has a shot

at claiming the league crown.

Defending champion Northwood, along with Tesoro, and a “radically

improved Laguna Beach squad,” pose the greatest challenges to the Sea

Kings, said Christiansen, who also mentioned University could

surprise.

“This is going to be a fun year in league,” said Christiansen, who

noted the team’s strengths are digging and blocking.

“Even though the girls aren’t short, they play fantastic defense

and have great passing.”

Most likely those passes will go to familiar faces.