Sailors sweep CdM, but both ready for CIF

NEWPORT BEACH — The visiting Corona del Mar High girls’ volleyball team handed out CdM luggage tags to rival Newport Harbor players before the nonleague match Friday night on the Sailors’ court.

But both coaches made it clear after the Sailors’ 25-20, 25-21, 26-24 sweep in the annual Battle of the Bay that they expected their teams to make extended postseason trips through their respective CIF Southern Section playoff divisions.

Newport Harbor (23-3), ranked No. 3 in CIF Division I-AA, claimed Back Bay bragging rights for the third straight season, Sailors senior Megan Munce said.

Munce, a 5-foot-8 standout bound for Texas Christian University, thumped a match-high 13 kills, including three for the 23rd point of each game and two others for point No. 25.

A Munce kill ended Game 2, while her right-side smash down the line helped set up match point in Game 3.

On senior night, senior outside hitter Jamie Heenan added nine kills, while senior middle blocker Alex Penewell chipped in six and junior outside hitter Mary Buckingham had five.

CdM (14-8), ranked No. 2 in CIF Division II-AA, led early in both of the first games and made a charge in the final game, after trailing, 13-6.

“Los Alamitos [which Newport Harbor swept, 25-17, 25-16, 25-18, Tuesday to claim a share of the Sunset League championship] is a top, first-class program,” CdM Coach Bill Christiansen said. “And we scored way more points than [the Griffins] did against Newport Harbor. We played great.

“I think Newport Harbor is the third- or fourth-best team in the nation and those were very respectable scores. We got a lot out of this and I think this could get us over the hump. I think it showed the girls they can play with the best. I’m extremely proud of them.”

Glenn was also proud of his Sailors, who like the Sea Kings will learn their postseason road when playoff pairings are announced Sunday.

“It’s like [assistant coach Matt Schutz] told me, ‘It’s about survival when you play these guys,’ ” Glenn said. “Our kids had a great week, this was a great way to end the regular season and we’re excited about the playoffs next week.”

CdM led, 8-5, and 13-11 in the first game, which featured 11 ties. A stuff block by Munce upped the Tars’ lead to 22-20, and Munce followed with a kill to prompt a Sea Kings timeout.

After Katie Thompson cashed in another overpass for a kill, CdM called timeout again. But there was no stopping the Tars, who finished off the game when CdM was called for a back-row-attack violation.

Game Two was tied seven times, before a Penewell slide kill sparked a five-point Newport Harbor run that created a 17-12 edge. The Sailors led, 19-15, before CdM closed to within 21-20.

But Newport scored four of the final five points to close it out, then seized a 6-0 lead in Game 3, keyed by a pair of stuff blocks and a kill by Jennifer Palmquist.

Junior Conley Kipp had 11 kills for CdM, which received 30 assists, 18 digs and four kills from sophomore setter Madie Smith.

Tars senior Alesha Young had 32 assists, while CdM senior Ashley Pries had 16 digs.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.