Sea Kings geared for state championship run

Rick Devereux

Sometimes the truest test of character comes not through success but

adversity.

The Corona del Mar High girls volleyball team has had plenty of

success, winning the Pacific Coast League and CIF Southern Section

Division III-A championships thus far this fall.

Despite the success the team has enjoyed, CdM (26-5) was seeded

No. 4 in the Southern California regional of the CIF State Division

III championships.

The Sea Kings, who were ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll in their

division for eight consecutive weeks, will have to face a tough La

Jolla (29-7) squad tonight at 7 at CdM.

“We have total respect for La Jolla,” CdM Coach Bill Christiansen

said. “They had to play some tough teams to get to 29 wins.”

The Vikings are led by senior outside hitter Lauren Engle, junior

outside hitter Alex Kearney and junior setter Lily Durwood.

“They have three very good players,” Christiansen said. “I’m

totally concerned about this first-round draw.”

Engle, who is sometimes moved to a middle blocker, leads the team

with 363 kills and 353 digs. The 5-foot-10 Engle is also second on

the team with 68 blocks.

“They move her around, but she generally stays on the outside,”

Christiansen said.

Kearny is second on the squad with 300 kills and 311 digs. Her 47

service aces leads the Vikings.

Durwood has a team-high 873 assists.

“They have an excellent setter and [Kearny] is a very good outside

hitter,” Christiansen said. “They like to swing those outside hitters

in for [quick attacks], but it’s mostly an outside attack.”

Christiansen said that CdM should win if it focuses on the basics.

“We have gone over fundamentals in practice,” Christiansen said.

“I know we have the mental aspect of the game down. Nobody plays

smarter than we do. And I know we have the heart. If we play

fundamentally sound, there isn’t a team that can beat us.”

Seniors Lindsey Ensign, Jordan Smith, Britta Nielsen, Traci Lawson

and Breanne Ogden have been instrumental in the Sea Kings’ success.

Ensign, a 6-0 middle blocker, leads Corona with 339 kills and 69

blocks.

Smith, a 6-0 outside hitter headed to UCLA next year, leads the

team with 392 digs and is second with 322 kills and two service aces.

Nielsen, a 5-10 outside hitter, is third with 142 kills and 24 service aces.

Lawson, a 5-8 setter, leads the Sea Kings with 513 assists and 35

service aces.

Ogden, who was named the best defensive player in the Dave Mohs

memorial championship, is a back row specialist and will play for the

University of San Diego next year.

“Our team level is so high across the board, even if we play at a

‘B’ level, very few teams can beat us,” Christiansen said. “Lindsey

and Jordan were our kill leaders, but it was the team that won all of

our games.”

Christiansen gave credit to sophomore setter Kelly Christian, who

is second with 322 assists, and middle blocker Kasey Kipp, who ranks

No. 2 on the team with 29 blocks.