Little things go long way for Sailors

Steve Virgen

In a first-round match of the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA

girls volleyball playoffs that featured a heavily favored Newport

Harbor High squad, it was the little things that mattered most.

Newport Coach Dan Glenn didn’t want his players to edge past

visiting Villa Park. He wanted the Sailors to perform well, to pay

attention to detail and to avoid sloppiness.

Newport (22-5) did just that and swept the Spartans, 25-17, 25-9,

25-18, showing hardly any weaknesses, especially in its Game 2

victory. Harbor will play Katella in the second round Thursday. A

coin flip today will determine the home team.

The Sailors, champions of the Sea View League and ranked No. 2 in

CIF Division II-AA behind Mira Costa, built a 12-0 lead in the second

game, led by senior Alyson Jennings’ serves. She collected five aces

and served for 11 straight points, as it was senior Emily Turner

(seven kills) who started the game with a kill to give the serve to

Jennings.

“I think that was our biggest lead of the season,” Glenn said.

“With rally scoring that’s pretty hard to do. But with Alyson serving

I’m a much better coach when she’s back there ripping her jump

serve.”

Though it was most likely Newport’s largest lead of the season,

Glenn could care less. He’s pleased with victories, but there are

other parts of the game just as important for him.

“We have so many little things to work on, I wasn’t that concerned

with the score, as much as I was with their executing,” Glenn said.

“For some of the teams that are ahead down the road, we’re going to

have to do the little things, so that’s what we’re trying to focus

on.”

That’s also why, Glenn called a timeout in Game 1 when Villa Park

(10-11), an at-large representative of the Century League, rallied

from a 12-6 deficit to come within one. After the timeout, the

Spartans scored just six more points, while the Sailors went to

Jennings, Turner, senior Lauren Miller and junior Kiley Hall to grab

back the momentum.

Jennings, bound for the University of Texas, contributed eight

kills, 17 assists and six aces. Miller, who recently committed to

Baylor, recorded eight kills, two aces and two blocks. Hall had six

kills, three aces and two blocks, while Alexis Kerns also provided

three aces. Seniors Kellie King (12 assists) and Elizabeth Clayton

produced two aces each.

Half of the Sailors’ roster is made up of seniors. Glenn is hoping

those players will step up, while they are eager to meet the

challenge.

“We have a really good connection and the thing is: we do not want

to lose,” Miller said. “Everyone has so much heart and hopefully that

will keep us winning.”