Newport Harbor girls’ volleyball atop Wave League with win over Laguna Beach

When Corona del Mar High and Laguna Beach moved into the Sunset Conference this season, it changed the outlook for many of the teams involved.

The Surf League and the Wave League were created, a pair of four-team divisions designed to create more parity in league competition.

The Newport Harbor High girls’ volleyball team may be one of the greatest beneficiaries of this new system. In starting the season 4-18 overall, few would have taken the Sailors to make noise in the old Sunset League.

That is old hat, however.

Senior outside hitter Allison Crandell had a team-high nine kills, and the host Sailors used a balanced effort to defeat Laguna Beach 25-22, 22-25, 26-24, 25-22 in a Wave League match on Wednesday night.

After junior middle blocker Siena Springborn delivered the match-clinching kill, Newport Harbor athletic director Jerry Murray made his way over to Sailors coach Dan Glenn.

He made a clever remark to Glenn, saying, “You’re on top of the wave.”

The Sailors (7-18, 2-0 in league) are now alone in first place, riding a wave of momentum that no one saw coming. They have won three straight, a run that began with a home victory over Edison, a team from the upper-tier Surf League.

“I think it feels amazing,” Springborn said. “I think we’re doing a lot better than last year, and it’s showing right now. We’re 2-0.”

Jasmine Amirie had 38 assists and two service aces. Ava Gonzalez had eight kills, Springborn added seven kills, and Kendall Bagby and Gabbi Higgs each chipped in with six kills.

Newport Harbor High’s Kendall Bagby spikes the ball against Laguna Beach during the second set of a Wave League match on Wednesday.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“I think we definitely started chipping away,” Amirie said of her team’s recent success. “I think as the season went on, we have definitely gelled as a group.

“Running the middle in different sets has definitely helped. I think the middles are doing a really good job.”

The Sailors can only celebrate momentarily, as Glenn kept his guard up about a possible trap match on Thursday. Newport Harbor will be at Fountain Valley (7-8, 1-1).

“It’s a big match because you have to get into the top two to make playoffs,” Glenn said. “One of our goals is to make the playoffs.

“If we can get that, that puts us in a really good spot as far as hitting that goal. Fountain Valley has got some good kids. They’ve had a good year so far. You don’t want to throw away everything that you’ve gained here by losing to a team that you have a shot at beating. It’s a quick turnaround.”

Newport Harbor has seen first-hand how the abbreviated league schedule can change a season in flash. On Thursday, they will reach the halfway point of league with the rematch against the Breakers (5-9, 1-1) to be played on Oct. 4 at Laguna Beach.

“I like it,” Breakers coach Shawn Patchell said of how quick the Wave League schedule goes by. “No one’s going to forget Newport.

“We’re going to get back in the gym. We play two more times this week. We play JSerra tomorrow, so we’re going to be serving much better. That’s what we need to do to beat Newport.”

Laguna Beach lost its first league match since CdM beat the Breakers 25-23, 17-25, 25-23, 25-15 in a Pacific Coast League match on Sept. 29, 2005. The Breakers did not lose an Orange Coast League match over the last 12 years.

Piper Naess had a match-high 20 kills for the Breakers. Cambria Hall had 15 kills, Soren Patchell had 35 assists and Natalia Hagopian had 17 assists.

The Breakers went to a 6-2 offense with Hagopian at setter in the second set, allowing front-row players like Gretchen Webb (five kills and one ace) to draw into the rotation.

“Natalia came in and played really well,” Shawn Patchell said. “She’s a streaky player, so we caught her hot. More importantly, Gretchen was great. She hit at a high percentage. She played great.”

[email protected]

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner