Dailey is killin’ it for Sage Hill volleyball

athlete-week-cat-daileyLightning senior is the most dominant player on what many believe is the best team in Sage Hill’s history.Cat Dailey used to swing for the fences. Now the 6-foot-1 senior swings to get kills for Sage Hill School’s girls’ volleyball team.

Dailey played softball as a freshman at Sage Hill before choosing to concentrate on volleyball -- a sport she was new to. Dailey picked it up in a flash.

“Everyone who has seen her play since she was a freshman is amazed at how much she has improved since then,” Sage Hill Coach Dan Thomassen said. “During her sophomore and junior years, she made a great step up. She kept improving and she’s still getting stronger.”

Dailey, who is Sage Hill’s kill leader this season, has verbally committed to play volleyball for Cal next year. The senior had 19 kills in Sage Hill’s sweep of Oxford Academy last Tuesday. She came back last Friday and tallied 17 kills in Sage Hill’s 25-14, 25-11, 25-11 sweep of Capistrano Valley Christian.

Still, her offense might not even be the strength of her game.

“Her biggest improvement has been ball control, passing and defense. She identified those things as weaknesses last year and worked to improve on them in high school and club volleyball,” Thomassen said. “She doesn’t like having weaknesses. Now those areas of her game are strengths. She’s our best passer now.”

Dailey has also improved in the leadership department.

“She’s always been a little quiet. Now she’s being more and more vocal,” Thomassen said. “Now she knows she has to be the court leader and direct traffic.”

Dailey leads a Sage Hill team that appears ready to make a title run in CIF Southern Section Division IV-A. The Lightning were ranked No. 2 in the division behind St. Margaret’s before they emerged with a five-game victory against their league rivals Tuesday to clinch a share of the title. St. Margaret’s beat Sage Hill in five games earlier this season.

Sage Hill and St. Margaret’s will likely be the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the division for the playoffs. The two Academy League teams could meet again in the CIF finals.

“Oh, I hope so,” Dailey said. “If we played them in CIF, it would probably go five games again. We are very evenly matched.”

Up to this point, Dailey’s most memorable moment in volleyball was last year, when the team reached the CIF semifinals. The Lightning (13-1, 9-1 in league) would like to take things up a notch.

“Hopefully this year we’ll top that,” Dailey said.

With Dailey leading the way, an extended playoff run is likely.

“She’s every coaches dream player. She has all the physical attributes, she has the work ethic and she has the attitude,” Thomassen said. “She has dedicated her athletic talents to volleyball.”

Cat Dailey

Born: June 10, 1988

Hometown: Walnut Creek

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 150

Sport: Volleyball

Position: Outside hitter

Coach: Dan Thomassen

Favorite food: Frozen yogurt (chocolate)

Favorite movie: “Remember the Titans”

Favorite athletic moment: “Last year’s CIF playoff run, when we got to the CIF semifinals. That was one of my most exciting moments in volleyball. Hopefully, this year we’ll top that.”

Week in review: Dailey had 19 kills in Sage Hill’s sweep of Oxford Academy last Tuesday. She came back last Friday and tallied 17 kills in Sage Hill’s 25-14, 25-11, 25-11 sweep of Capistrano Valley Christian.

Daily Pilot

Collector sports card series

20051105U21KKR4MNo Caption20051105ipgijmknMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)