Several local scholastic girls volleyball teams are hoping they have the winning formulas set for a CIF run this season.
At The Bishop’s School, head coach Tod Mattox and the Lady Knights are coming off a 24-11 campaign last season, finishing second in the Coastal League and as a runner-up in Division IV. Bishop’s won its first round of States before losing in the semis.
As for this season, Mattox noted, “We have the potential to be the best we’ve been in several years. We have a talented senior group, led by captain Nicole Ballon-Landa.”
Ballon-Landa will be moving to the right side this year and provides an intimidating block, as well as offensive firepower. Katherine Fiedler, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, returns after a great 2005 season, and there are very few middles in the county that can match her attacking and blocking skills, according to Mattox. Aubrey Doede will provide dynamic defense, and setter Natalia Wrobel will direct an exciting offense, he added.
“Ball control was an issue with last year’s team, and this year, we’re already much improved,” Mattox continued. “Junior libero Laurel Casey has dramatically improved, and she is not the only one. Fellow juniors Alex Pell and Jaqueline Rhodes, as well as returning starter Julie Gantz (sophomore) will provide steady ball control.”
Mattox added that junior MB Devin Nelson saw limited action in her sophomore season, but this year will be different.
“Devin’s game has improved to the point that we moved an All-League MB (Ballon-Landa) to the right side,” Mattox said.
“This team is incredibly deep, and there is plenty of healthy competition for playing time,” Mattox noted. “First-year varsity players Brittany Allen (junior), Carly Bollert (soph.), Kendall Lord (soph.) as well as talented freshmen Faith Eischen and Ina Kamenova, will all see significant action.”
At neighboring La Jolla High, head coach Dave Jones and the Lady Vikings had a fantastic 2005 campaign, winning the Western League (11-1) and CIF Division III crowns.
“We’ve got four returning starters ” seniors Dana Hoolko, Jennifer Keane, Taylor Fallon, and Cameron Smith,” Jones noted. “We’ve also got a lot of upcoming talent and our new assistant coach, Davis Ransom, whose energy and philosophy tie right into the program that we have been building throughout the past five years.”
While Jones said the loss of key seniors from last year’s squad is a challenge, the team plans to pick up right where it left off.
“We return some great defense in the back row this year, but we’re hoping ” with added heighth on our roster this season ” that we will take our defense to the next level up at the net as well this year,” Jones said. “Offensively, we have many different options that could potentially give us a lot of flexiblity, as well as weapons in our toolbox.”
La Jolla opens its season at nationally ranked No. 41, Vista Murrieta, on Saturday, Sept. 9. Then the Lady Vikings will travel to the Lakeland Invitational (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho), host their own Beach City Invitational, and finally close the regular season at the Redondo Beach Power Classic.
At La Jolla Country Day School, head coach Peter Ogle and the Lady Torreys look to rebound from a season ago when they finished under .500. LJCD finished fourth in league action and won in the quarters of CIF’s before falling to Bishop’s in the semis.
This year’s squad will be paced by seniors Tami Batzofin, Hayley Wilson and Claire Kaufman, and juniors Kenna Foltz, Jessica Hershfield, Andi Sabourin, Jasmine Edwards and Janae Fulcher.
“We will be a very young team with sophomores Grace Murk and Jordan Krant, and freshmen Jessica Altman, Cheyenne Giesecke and Mary Mack,” Ogle noted. “I have been very impressed with the girls’ effort during camp. I am very excited about this season and the ability for this team to improve.”