Girls’ Volleyball: Sage sweeps rival

Through the first two sets, the Sage Hill School girls’ volleyball team definitely looked like the No. 1 ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 3AA.

But the Lightning seemed as if they were in need of a challenge. St. Margaret’s provided the challenge in the third set and Sage Hill met it with some vigor.

The Lightning showed their rival they are ranked No. 1 for a reason with their 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 Academy League win in Sage Hill’s gym, nicknamed, “The Ube,” after Peter Ueberroth.

St. Margaret’s, ranked No. 4 in Division 3AA, could hardly contain Sage Hill senior Kekai Whitford. The Tartans stuffed her a couple of times in the final set, and turned around an 11-6 deficit to a 19-16 advantage. That’s when Coach Dan Thomassen called a timeout.

Senior Halland McKenna delivered a kill from a Maddy Abbott set, which set off a 9-2 run that St. Margaret’s just could not stop.

Was St. Margaret’s surprised that this rivalry match ended in a Sage Hill sweep?

“No,” St. Margaret’s Coach Susie Maga said. “They’re a good team. These games happen like this. They’re back and forth, back and forth. They got the better of us today.”

Thomassen expects the match will be tougher at St. Margaret’s gym. But Sage Hill appeared dominant at times during its sweep Friday night. Whitford was a big part of that.

St. Margaret’s looked defenseless whenever Whitford delivered a cross-court kill from an Abbott set.

“Our energy was high.” Thomassen said. “We made some mistakes but we never let that drag us down. Our serving and our defense was a little shaky at times but other players stepped up. Our three captains Halland [McKenna], Maddy [Abbott] and Kekai [Whitford] they did everything we asked. When they play well it really helps.”

Whitford definitely played well. She produced eight kills in each of the first two sets and ended the night with 21 kills and 10 digs.

McKenna contributed 15 kills and nine digs and Abbott amassed 41 assists. Jade Blevins, a freshman, showed the future could also be bright for Sage as she had five kills and nine digs.

When St. Margaret’s (11-2, 1-1 in league) did defend well against Whitford in the third set, McKenna and Blevins stepped up and provided more weapons for Sage Hill (8-3, 3-0).

Maga thought her team did show some fight, but Sage Hill proved to be too much.

“They hit really well,” Maga said of the Lightning. “Their setter is very good and they played better than us.”

Peighton McRobie led St. Margaret’s with 13 kills and six digs. Emily Miller added 11 kills and 10 digs and Charlotte Duran had 30 assists for the Tartans.

The back and forth Maga talked about appears true. St. Margaret’s beat Sage Hill three times in 2012, including for the Division 3A title. Sage Hill did beat the Tartans for the Division 4AA championship in 2011.

Last year, Sage Hill ended that three-match losing streak to its rival with a five-set win at St. Margaret’s.

The Lightning also beat the Tartans at home last year. Sage Hill will try to win its fourth straight match against St. Margaret’s on Oct. 14.