Skalla heads to the next level

A state title is a state title. No matter at what level, where, or how a player achieves that level of success, it is something special. And for an athlete, it is a memory that can last a lifetime.

For Orange Coast College sophomore Karlee Skalla, the memory of her 2009 state title with the OCC women’s volleyball team, will be her last of the program.

It was announced recently that the second-team All-Orange Empire Conference outside hitter will be transferring to University of Alaska-Fairbanks this coming fall. She had spent the last two seasons at OCC after coming from Green Valley High in Nevada in 2007.

Skalla left on a personal high note.

In last season’s state championship game, she helped lead the Pirates with 14 kills and four blocks against Cypress following a huge match against Sierra to get to the final, where she hammered in 15 kills and four blocks.

Skalla received 2009 all-tournament team honors after her tournament total of 61 kills.

Her presence at the net will definitely be missed next season for the Pirates.

In the 57 matches Skalla played in at OCC, her team went 48-9 while she accumulated 379 kills and 107 blocks.

— From staff reports