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Laguna Beach girls’ volleyball pulls out five-set win over Marina

Kyra Zaengle (7) of Laguna Beach puts a kill past the block of Marina's Addison Brown during a Wave League match.
Kyra Zaengle (7) of Laguna Beach puts a kill past the block of Marina’s Addison Brown during a Wave League girls’ volleyball match on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
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The Laguna Beach girls’ volleyball team has had more than a few bumps in the road, but recent results have a chance to wipe away an inauspicious start for the Breakers.

Junior outside hitter Kyra Zaengle had 18 kills, 15 digs, five service aces and 2½ blocks, as Laguna Beach held off visiting Marina 25-15, 21-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-9 on Tuesday in a Wave League match.

Back-to-back wins to begin the league schedule have opened the door for Laguna Beach (6-15, 2-0 in the Wave League) to extend its season into the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

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Meg Gardner (13) of Laguna Beach puts a kill past the block of Marina's Lyndsey Wessel on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“A lot of players that didn’t play so much last year are now taking full responsibility,” Laguna Beach coach Sinan Tanik said. “Because of that, we had kind of a building period. Now, it’s starting to come together. I’m happy that it’s time that it came together, and the future looks bright.”

The Breakers’ most recent performance was an uneven one, but they never trailed against the Vikings. Senior libero Coco Black, who had 16 digs, was among those keeping the energy level high.

“I just know that if I’m quiet, everyone else will be quiet,” Black said. “I know that someone needs to lead the energy on the team, especially if someone gets down, then someone else needs to be there to lift every single person up. It just helps really with the consistency of the team, and it’s really important.”

Marina's Jenna Zaffino (10) puts a shot down the line past Laguna Beach's Madeline Rootlieb (16) and Sara Johnson (22).
Marina’s Jenna Zaffino (10) puts a shot down the line past Laguna Beach’s Madeline Rootlieb (16) and Sara Johnson (22) on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Laguna Beach won the first five points of the fifth set, the first three coming via the right arm of Zaengle, a USC commit for beach volleyball.

“When you have an athlete like Kyra, it’s a gravitational force,” Tanik said. “The setters want to set her. When you get a second ball, you want to set her as a non-setter, too. She gets a lot of sets. That’s clear, but as we find better rhythm with our setters, more confidence, we encourage our hitters to be more aggressive.

“Now, that’s not to expect everything from Kyra, so the distribution got better. As soon as we start doing that, Kyra relaxes, too, and she gets more efficient, so that’s kind of our game right now.”

Senior opposite Meg Gardner had 11 kills and two block assists for Laguna Beach. Junior middle blocker Baylie Bina and junior outside hitter Ava Steris each had nine kills. Senior middle blocker Sara Johnson contributed four kills, three block assists and two aces, and junior middle blocker Sadie Holmes added six kills and two total blocks. Junior Morgan Saunders (25 assists) and senior Hayes Frith (14 assists) split the setting duties for the Breakers.

Marina (13-9, 0-2), which was a CIF finalist in Division 5 last season, has benefited from the arrival of a trio of contributing freshmen that extended the program’s contending window after five starters graduated. The Vikings were without middle blocker Aurora Holmes on Tuesday due to an injury, but Marina coach Ryan Parker said he is hopeful that she will return before the end of the season.

Marina's Korynn Mayo (14) puts a kill past the block of Laguna Beach's Baylie Bina on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Freshman outside hitter Korynn Mayo had 17 kills, 21 digs and three aces to lead Marina. Freshman Brooklyn Enriquez, who played all over the court, finished with 16 assists, four kills and two aces. Sophomore libero Abby Piramo added 14 digs.

A couple of familiar faces have returned for the Vikings. Senior middle blocker Lyndsey Wessel had nine kills and two blocks, while senior outside hitter Jenna Zaffino had a dozen kills, 11 digs and two aces.

“Lyndsey has been great at kind of being a leader for [Mayo],” Parker said. “Confidence is such a big thing for her, and it was for Lyndsey, too. In last year’s run, we put a lot of stake into Lyndsey to score points for us, and she kind of grew into that role. Now, she’s doing a great job in helping Korynn grow into the same role.”

Marina's Lyndsey Wessel (11) and Korynn Mayo (14) block a shot by Laguna Beach's Baylie Bina (36) on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
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