Girls’ Volleyball: Oilers edge Sailors
If it were up to Coach Dan Glenn, he prefers his Newport Harbor High girls’ volleyball team to go up against the opponent’s best.
That wasn’t the case in a first-place Sunset League showdown at Huntington Beach on Tuesday.
The Sailors faced a Huntington Beach side that missed two key players. The Oilers lost Cami Sanchez and Maddie Kaprelyan for the match, the first of two they have to sit out because they played in an organized four-on-four tournament on sand in Huntington Beach on Sunday, violating CIF Southern Section bylaw 600 prohibiting high school players from participating in outside team competitions other than in a two-on-two volleyball format.
Without the two hitters, the Oilers still managed to beat Newport Harbor, 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13, to remain in a first-place tie with Los Alamitos. In the process, Huntington Beach snapped a two-match losing streak.
With two league matches left, Huntington Beach is 6-2 in league and in position to finish at the top. The program’s next two league matches are against Fountain Valley (2-6) and Marina (0-8), the worst teams in league.
“Obviously it’s big,” Huntington Beach Coach Craig Pazanti said. “Not only [had] we lost, we lost pretty badly over the last couple of matches, [in] three straight [sets] both times. It was just a chance to get ourselves back into the league championship race. At the same time, you know, just kind of prove [we can win while facing adversity].
“There [are] schools all over the Southern Section right now that are missing kids or having to, you know, sit those kids for two matches. I’ll refrain from my opinion on the ruling that has been set, but at the same time, you know, we’re just going to come out and play. We’re not going to mope around because we don’t have this kid or that kid.”
The two players who replaced Sanchez and Kaprelyan contributed to the Oilers defeating Newport Harbor in five sets for the second time this season. Kierra Pearson and Aubryn Coale stepped in, and Pearson led the way with 17 kills and 20 digs, while Coale added a handful of kills and a couple of blocks.
Pearson, a junior, produced the game-winning kill, pushing Newport Harbor (5-3) out of first place in league. The Sailors lost the final two sets, unable to close things out with a 2-1 lead.
“The girls that played in [Sanchez’s] place played great,” said Glenn, adding that he learned on Tuesday that Sanchez, an outside hitter, would miss the match, along with Kaprelyan, an opposite, and Kendall Woirhaye, a substitute, because they played in the Fall Fours/Halloween Haunt Beach tournament. “It’s just a fours [tournament]. You just can’t do that. It’s against the rules. It’s been a rule that’s been around for a long time. I don’t necessarily agree with the rule, but it’s a rule. CIF has so few rules now.
“It was a fundraiser tournament for [the] Long Beach State [men’s volleyball program], [with players wearing] Halloween costumes. It’s disappointing that any of those kids have to sit out.”
Newport Harbor will be in a similar situation on Thursday, when it plays host to Edison at 5:45 p.m. The Chargers had two standouts, Lindsey Sparks and Hannah Phair, participate in the four-on-four tournament, and they will be out of action against the Sailors, said Therese Butler, the organizer of the Fall Fours/Halloween Haunt Beach tournament.
The match is a critical one for both the Sailors and Chargers, who share third place in league. Only the top three teams in league earn automatic berths into the CIF Southern Section Division 1AA playoffs.
“I’m not concerned with these other teams. I got to worry about our team,” said Glenn, who saw Remy Wilson lead Newport Harbor with 17 kills, while Gabby Shelley added 13 kills and nine digs, Jaclyn Brown had 12 kills and three blocks, and Ellie Hagadorn totaled 34 assists and 11 digs.
“If we play well and execute, we got a shot to beat all these teams. If we don’t, then we won’t. It really doesn’t matter who’s on the other side of the net.”
