Sea Kings going the distance

The road to a potential CIF State Division II title got a little bit shorter for the Corona del Mar High girls’ volleyball team. About an hour shorter, that is.

After a two-hour drive to first-round opponent Ramona of San Diego County Tuesday, the Sea Kings (29-6) will venture about an hour via freeway to Elsinore High in Wildomar for tonight’s CIF Southern California Regional semifinal at 7.

CdM Co-Coach Darryl Gan said the team bus will depart CdM around 2:30 p.m., allowing for plenty of time to eat dinner and, about 90 minutes prior to the first serve, conduct serving and passing drills to shake off any stiffness the long commute may create.

The Sea Kings, the No. 6 seed in the eight-team Southern California Regional bracket, encountered some early stiffness in Tuesday’s 23-25, 25-17, 25-15, 25-19 win at Ramona.

A win over No. 3-seeded Elsinore (31-2) figures to require the Sea Kings’ best effort. The Tigers have won nine straight and 31 of their last 32 matches, with a loss to Redlands East Valley the only blemish in the latter run.

Redlands East Valley defeated CdM in four games in the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA final on Nov. 21.

Elsinore, however, also owns a win over Redlands East Valley, sweeping a best-of-three meeting on Oct. 3 at the Capistrano Valley tournament.

Elsinore lost a best-of-three tournament match to Redlands East Valley on Oct. 24.

The Tigers are paced by seniors Kyleen Iverson, Michelle Waber, Laine Hicks and Mariah Agre. Iverson leads the team in kills (337), aces (49) and digs (220), while Waber paces the squad in blocks (44) and has 301 kills and 43 aces.

Agre has 928 assists and 40 aces, while Hicks has 240 kills.

Elsinore cruised past No. 8-seeded Taft of Woodland Hills, 25-17, 25-19, 25-6, in Tuesday’s first round.

CdM is led by four-year setter Madie Smith, bound for the University of San Diego.

Additional Sea King standouts include seniors Amanda Nickel and Sydney Brombal, as well as juniors Morgan Boukather, Hailey Senske, Claire Ham and Katelyn Baker.

Tonight’s winner will advance to the regional final Tuesday against the winner of the other semifinal between top-seeded Redlands East Valley and No. 7-seeded La Canada.

The state title match, pitting the top teams from Southern and Northern California against one another, is Dec. 5 at UC Irvine.

Elsinore is champion of CIF Southern Section Division II-A, having beaten La Canada in the final.