Mesa opens with sweep

Rick Devereux

The start of a new boys volleyball season brings different

expectations for Sage Hill School compared to Costa Mesa High.

Even though the Lightning are coming off a season in which they

were Academy League co-champions and advanced to the semifinals of

the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs, Sage is in a rebuilding

year.

And despite the fact the Mustangs finished fifth in the seven-team

Golden West League last year, Mesa is expected to contend to push

deep into the Division III tournament.

The contrast of directions was evident when Costa Mesa opened its

season at Sage Hill Friday for the Lightning’s home opener. Sage Hill

opened its season at JSerra Tuesday.

“My goals were for us to play with a lot of energy,” Costa Mesa

Coach Dave Sorrells said after the Mustangs won, 25-11, 25-20, 25-10.

“I think we did just that.”

The Mustangs come out on fire, with junior outside hitter Ryan

Bagwell accounting for three of Mesa’s first six points of the match

off two kills and a service ace. Bagwell, a first-team all Golden

West League selection a year ago, finished with a match-high 12

kills.

“I felt it was good for us to play Mesa,” Sage Coach Merja

Connolly-Freund said. “It was good for us to see how volleyball is

supposed to be played and the speed it is supposed to played at.”

There was only one player -- junior Jake Lazare -- on Sage Hill

(0-2) who had varsity volleyball experience before Tuesday’s opener

at JSerra so every game is a new experience for her team.

“I’m just looking for individual and team improvements,” she said.

“I think our freshman setter Carl Hilgren is playing great. He is

getting to balls and running a pretty good offense. He is getting our

top player, Jake Lazare, a bunch of looks.”

The young Lightning got most of their points off Mesa miscues.

Sage Hill scored 10 of its 11 points in the first game and 28 of its

41 total points from unforced errors.

Even with the errors, Costa Mesa played a relatively clean match

and was never in trouble of losing.

The Mustangs had runs of 6-0, 9-1 and 8-1 in the first game.

The Lightning seemed to settle down in the second game with

Hilgren assisting Lazare twice early in the game, but Mesa was able

to maintain the lead by a powerful presence from its middle blockers.

Mitch Caldwell, who had arguably the hit of the match at the end

of the first game, and Garrett Walthers, who joined Bagwell on the

all-league first-team last year, along with Will Lefebvre, combined

for eight kills in the second game.

“The middles are our main hitters after Bagwell,” junior setter

Andrew Melcer said. “Coach tells me to distribute the ball to as many

hitters as possible so the other team can’t key on Bagwell.”

The play in the middle was also a story for Sage, but for

different reasons.

Junior Mike Morgan played in his second volleyball match. Not just

the second volleyball match of the season, or the second varsity

volleyball match, but his second volleyball match ever.

This is the first time he has tried the sport and he played his

best in the third game, registering four of his five blocks and both

of his kills in the final frame.

“Tonight was the first time he was getting into the flow

defensively,” Connolly-Freund said. “He is learning every time he

steps onto the court.”

While Connolly-Freund is looking for educational improvements,

Sorrells is hoping to maintain the level of performance displayed

Friday.

“This was the best team attitude these kids have ever shown me,”

Sorrells said. “That attitude is what carried us through this win.”

Sage Hill will play in the University High tournament today

starting at 8 a.m. while Costa Mesa will have its home opener

Wednesday against Santa Ana Valley.