CdM suffers off night

CORONA DEL MAR — First someone in the stands flashed the light on their camcorder, moving it wherever the ball went on the court.

The light distracted the volleyball players. The public address announcer at Corona del Mar High urged the lady to turn if off. The light went out, and it did on the scoreboard seconds later.

Talk of using a handmade scoreboard, on which one flips cards to keep score, broke out. Whatever the device, San Clemente’s Erin Yoder figured a way to light things up.

The junior outside hitter came up with crucial kills down the stretch, finishing with 16 to lift San Clemente past the Sea Kings, 25-18, 26-24, 14-25, 25-19, Monday night.

From the start, Yoder found something wrong with the Sea Kings, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division II-AA.

“We had them scared,” she said. “I don’t think they were ready.”

The Sea Kings (4-4) appeared out of it. Not the best beginning for Coach Bill Christiansen. Eight hitting errors are how many he counted in the first game.

The Tritons (5-2) aren’t the same team from last year, when they were swept by CdM. More experience this year. And this time around San Clemente almost pulled off the sweep, something that didn’t happen to CdM at home last year.

This year, the Sea Kings are different, with Christiansen calling it a rebuilding year after finishing as the section runner-up. Yoder noticed, saying “they had more seniors last year, like bigger hitters.” The big-time players CdM is counting on, outside hitter Kara Chatham and middle blocker Conley Kipp, elevated their play in Game 2.

CdM appeared to take command, leading, 11-7, but San Clemente kept it close by avoiding the 6-foot-4 Kipp whenever possible. Only once was she able to block a shot in the second game, and the Tritons didn’t want to see the Sea Kings celebrate. Whenever they recorded a block, they got on one knee and touched the floor with their hands.

They weren’t rejoicing after Game 2. Not when Yoder hammered a shot that libero Ashley Pries had no chance of keeping alive as the Tritons won, 26-24.

“We got up on them in the second and let it slip away,” Christiansen said. “We had to dig ourselves out of a hole.”

The Sea Kings did everything in Game 3 to keep the match alive and gain some momentum before they take off for Chicago Thursday. CdM will be at the prestigious Chicago Tournament, at which Mother McAuley plays host and 24 of the country’s top teams will participate this weekend.

Christiansen did his part to fire up CdM. He got up from his seat to question a couple of calls. The team responded. Chatham delivered a couple of her team-high 11 kills in the third game and she added a couple of services aces.

Kipp began stuffing practically everything in sight. Five of her six blocks came in the third.

“She shut us all down,” Yoder said of Kipp, who had seven kills.

But the 5-7 Yoder kept at it. Plus, she had a setter in Allie Hammer allowing her to hammer away as she had 44 assists. Even though she didn’t close the match out, Rachel Talafus did, she made her presence felt to Christiansen.

“We’re going to have off nights,” Christiansen said. “[Monday was] a very off night.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.