Local volleyball players net hot streak

It’s been a busy yet extremely successful summer season for several Laguna Beach girls’ volleyball players.

Three local teams medaled in recent competition, two athletes earned All-America honors and two others were named to national teams.

13-Under Division

The Laguna 13 Chapman club team was nearly perfect at the Reno Volleyball Festival in late June as it won all 11 matches en route to bringing home the gold medal.

The squad, coached by Christy Chapman, swept its first 10 opponents and defeated Puerto Rico in the division final, 2-1 in games, before an estimated 1,800 at the Reno Convention Center.

With 894 teams competing in divisions 12-U through 18-U, the Reno Volleyball Festival is the largest annual women’s sporting event in the world, Laguna Beach High girls’ and boys’ volleyball coach Lance Stewart, said.

15-Under Division

Laguna Beach 15 Whiting, coached by Chris Whiting, captured the bronze medal in the division at the Junior Olympics held earlier this month in Atlanta.

Laguna, which qualified for the tournament by winning the Western Regional qualifier, competed against 48 teams in the division. The team included a pair of Laguna Beach High girls’ varsity members, sophomore Alex Palmer and junior Rebecca Farrar.

Palmer was named to the division’s All-America team.

Another member of the Laguna girls’ varsity team, sophomore Piper O’bradovich, also earned All-American status. She played for the Anaheim-based Roxy Club Volleyball team that placed ninth.

17-Under Division

Laguna Beach 17 Soylular, coached by Michael Soylular, captured the silver medal at the Reno Volleyball Festival, finishing second among 120-plus teams in the division.

Laguna, which included Laguna varsity players in seniors Mychaela Miller and Tiffany Chen, lost in the division final to Empire Volleyball Club of San Francisco, 2-1.

Dana Hutchinson, who will be a junior at Laguna this fall, played for Roxy Club Volleyball and was named to the division’s Junior National “A” team.

18-Under Division

Zoe Garrett, who will be a senior at Laguna Beach High, played for a Long Beach Mizuno club team that won silver at the Junior Olympics in Atlanta. Garrett was named to the division’s Junior National team.

“These girls worked extremely hard throughout the year,” Lance Stewart said. “I’m extremely proud of all of their accomplishments.”