La Jolla High School and The Bishop’s School will meet Sept. 15 in a girls’ volleyball showdown at La Jolla High. While one team is looking to find its identity, the other is hoping its success in recent years will propel it to the next level. Bishop’s posted an impressive 30-9 record in 2009, a number that could have been significantly better if it didn’t have to face eventual state champions La Jolla Country Day four times. “We have a talented group coming back,” head coach Tod Mattox said. “We’re led by two senior outside hitters (Kristen Casey and Maddie Lord) who are two of the better outside hitters in the county.” The Knights lost their fair share of talent in the off season but Mattox likes the team he has coming back. Senior setter Courtney Hoffman is stepping into an important starting role while A.J. Kiyoizumi is vying for first team status at libero. “Those four seniors are probably about as good a group as we’ve had leadership-wise,” Mattox said. Mattox also said sophomore Claire Manhard is a good player in the making and junior Sydney Seau provides heart and hustle to the team despite being undersized. Bishop’s made an admirable run to the Division IV state semifinals last season before running into the LJCD juggernaut. With a fresh slate to work on, a couple more wins and a state championship in its own right is certainly not out of the question. “I think we have a chance to be better this year, given the way this group works,” Mattox said. Just the second match in a long season for both teams, the cross- town rivalry should also serve as an indicator of things to come. La Jolla High posted a 22-13 overall record and an 8-2 league mark in 2009. The Vikings beat Southwest and Brawley in the CIF playoffs before bowing out to Valley Center. This year’s team has undergone a major makeover. Several top players graduated in the spring and the Vikings will also have to deal with a leadership change. Tina Kinkead takes over as interim head coach, replacing David Jones, who is taking the season off to focus on finishing up his master’s degree. La Jolla is led by seniors Catherine Galligan, Avalon Richards, Allison Helm and junior Kailey Fudge. Returning starters include junior setter Ryan Farley and sophomore Waverly Richards. “My goal is to establish a strong foundation of discipline,” Kinkead said. “I think we have a great amount of chemistry. The girls are really hard workers and have good ball control and a relentless attitude toward volleyball.” Bishop’s has beaten LJHS the past two seasons and Mattox hopes that number will grow on Sept. 15. Bishop’s at La Jolla Sept. 15, 4:30 p.m.