CdM grows up

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Corona del Mar’s girls volleyball team traveled

through peaks and valleys last year. After some tough losses and big wins

during a 10-9 regular season, the Sea Kings managed to reach the CIF

Southern Section Division III semifinals to end the season on a good

note.

A lot of the inconsistencies of last year’s team can be attributed to

youth, with five new starters. This time, they have four of the starters

returning, and what was once the team’s weakness is now a strength.

“Last year, we had five new starters gaining new experience,” CdM Coach

Steve Conti said. “This year, they come back experienced and they can

teach the other girls how hard they have to work throughout the season.”

The key returnee is senior outside hitter Dimitra Havriluk, who led the

team in kills last year and was named to the CIF Division III first team,

Offensively, there is little doubt she is gifted, but Conti is expecting

a more complete game from her this year.

“She bought a lot of offense on the court last year,” Conti said. “I want

her to build on that and become a better passer. I also want her to

become a leader, and she has set how hard the tone is in practice.”

The other outside hitter will be senior Jamie Brownell, who is the team’s

co-captain with Havriluk. While she didn’t get Division honors like

Havriluk, Brownell’s stats are just as good, and she will be counted on

just as much to give the Sea Kings a potent offense. She is also a good

defender, and that makes her a nice complement to the offensive-minded

Havriluk.

Setting for these two will be senior Marissa Becker, who is one of the

team’s stronger defenders. But, CdM cannot count on a lot of blocks on

defense because senior Meghan Gallagher will be out for the first three

to four weeks of the season after she re-injured her knee. Gallagher was

good enough to make the Division III first-team last year despite missing

a sizable amount of the season with a knee and ankle injury.

“Unfortunately, the girls on this team are used to it,” Conti said. “She

got hurt last year, and the team had to deal with it. This senior class

is very close and Gallagher is at every practice rehabbing. But this is

also an opportunity for our younger players.”

Compounding Gallagher’s loss is former starter Jessica Jennings, who

decided to quit the volleyball team. This strips CdM of its only

six-footer and two experienced middle blockers.

This leaves junior Lindsey Anstandig as the only true middle blocker on

the team. She will be asked to quickly assume the role and flourish until

Gallagher comes back. After she does, Anstandig will still be a crucial

defender.

On the flip side, sophomore Jacqueline Becker gives CdM a lot of options

on offense. Like her sister, Becker is a setter, and Conti has been

impressed by her play.

“She looked really good in the summer,” Conti said. “That has me

considering a 5-2 formation instead of 5-1-1. We could do a lot of

different things.”

The back line for CdM is solid with seniors Jessica Edwards and Tracy

Brown and junior Brittany Crall. Controlling the tempo of play will be

the key for the Sea Kings, because of their lack of height.

“We’re not the biggest team in the area,” Conti said. “We need to control

the ball, pass well and play great defense.”

And Conti is also wary of last year’s inconsistencies. “Last year, we had

some really big highs, and we had really big lows,” he said. “We need to

find some consistency and mental toughness. We’re trying to get rid of

most of the lows.”

CdM will be tested through out the year though. With a new Pacific Coast

League only fielding four teams because of seniorless Northwood, it

scheduled tough late season matches and tournaments. Among them will be

two matches against rival and defending state champ Newport Harbor. The

road is tough, but Conti feels the schedule will help his team get

sharper.

More importantly, it gives his team more opportunities to grow. “I think

this team has the potential to do great things,” Conti said. And if

things fall in place, then they could be seeing a lot more peaks than

valleys.

Roster

Jamie Brownell 5-8 Sr.

Marissa Becker 5-8 Sr.

Dimitra Havriluk 5-11 Sr.

Meghan Gallagher 5-11 Sr.

Jessica Edwards 5-9 Sr.

Tracy Brown 5-8 Sr.

Jacqueline Becker 5-8 So.

Lindsay Anstandig 5-10 Jr.

Katie Dugin 5-9 So.

Brittany Crall 5-6 Jr.

Sara Deming 5-9 Jr.

Coach: Steve Conti