Sage loaded for ’05

Three standout seniors return to the Sage Hill School girls

volleyball team, giving Coach Dan Thomassen all he could ask for.

Seniors Cat Dailey, Haywood Wright and last year’s co-captain,

Vista Murphy, were the Sage Hill kill leaders in the 2004 season.

Last season, the team finished 17-7 and advanced to the CIF

Southern Section Division IV-A semifinals.

Dailey, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter who has been heavily recruited,

is the school’s first Division I scholarship athlete, having verbally

committed to UC Berkeley.

The two-time Daily Pilot Dream Team player was chosen to compete

on the Junior National A2 team after being named first-team

All-Academy League and second-team All-CIF.

Murphy dominates as an outside hitter, while Wright, who also left

her mark on the basketball court as a first-team all-league player,

is a 6-1 middle blocker.

“These are all really legitimate athletes,” said Thomassen.

“They’re big strong kids and they’re hard hitters. They’re the brawn

of the team.”

And as for the brains -- there’s junior setter Kelsey Lawler. At

5-7, she returns for her third year of starting.

“She makes really good choices,” said Thomassen. “She’s really

good at reading my signals and making the right decisions at tough

times.”

The team, which defeated Chadwick in CIF quarterfinals, but lost a

semifinal match to Western Christian last season, is returning seven

players -- eight of them starters -- and will compete in three

tournaments, which Thomassen hopes will give the Lightning a chance

to improve their game and see the competition.

They will travel south to Poway in San Diego Sept. 9-10 for the

San Diego Classic. They will also compete in the Orange County

championships and Dave Mohs Memorial tournament hosted by Edison,

Newport Harbor and Marina high schools.

“We’re going to get to see a lot of teams from our divisions, and

it’s going to give us a lot of experience playing better teams,” said

Thomassen.”

Three freshman join the Lightning squad, and Thomassen said all

three will be given a chance to contribute.

Outside hitter and defensive specialist Olivia Fankuchen, middle

blocker Tierney Danner and outside hitter Cameron Cline will combine

with the depth found on the Lightning roster in search of another CIF

appearance.

First, they’ll have to get past St. Margaret’s, a team that has

always presented a challenge.