Sailors learning quick in early stage

Bryce Alderton

The Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team is working through some

growing pains in the early season, but Coach Dan Glenn remains

confident that his team will progress in time for Sea View League

play and beyond.

Senior outside hitter Kiley Hall, a three-year varsity member and

captain, leads a group of six returners off a team that went 26-7,

reaching the CIF Division II state regional semifinal last fall.

That team featured seven seniors, including outside hitters Alyson

Jennings, Lauren Miler and Emily Turner, who all graduated last

spring. Jennings, the Newport-Mesa Player of the Year as a senior,

now starts at the University of Texas while Turner plays at

Princeton.

“You can’t replace them, but you have to move on and hope the kids

pick up on some of their work habits and play like they do,” said

Glenn, in his 19th year at the helm. “Alyson did so much for us last

year [setting and hitting], so we’re adjusting to life without her.

Kiley has done a good job of stepping up into that role. As all the

girls get better, we will be a balanced team. We’re going to continue

to work hard and get better.”

Outside hitters Stephanie Trinen (senior) and Coco Yokoyama

(sophomore), with seniors Taryn Tarnutzer (setter) and Hadley Burnham

(middle blocker), and junior middle blocker Bryana Carey, return to

lead the Sailors, 3-5 as of last Thursday.

Hall, who stands 5-foot-9, earned second-team all-league laurels

last season as a middle blocker, but now moves into her more natural

position at outside hitter, Glenn said.

“She is getting so tall and is the best athlete in the school guy

or girl,” he said. “Maybe I’m biased, but that is what I think.”

Hall ran on Newport’s 1,600-meter relay team in track and field

last spring and competed on the girls soccer team last winter.

Tarnutzer played opposite last year, but switched to setter.

Freshmen setters Elisha Young and Megan Munce back up Tarnutzer

while senior Kellie Lawler, along with sophomores Megan Toman and

Jessica Robson, will be counted on as middle blockers.

Robson is Newport’s tallest player at 6-1, while Tarnutzer and

Carey both stand at 6 feet.

Glenn said Toman brings aggressiveness to the net.

Senior outside hitter Lauren Helfrich and freshman outside hitter

Jamie Heenan give Glenn added options.

Newport faces host Laguna Beach Thursday for its only match this

week before league play starts the following week.

The Sailors have won at least a share of 10 of the last 11 league

titles and Glenn believes his team can accomplish similar feats.

It starts with defense.

“The defense is way behind where it should be,” Glenn said. “But

I’ve got a good feeling about my group. There is still time for us to

get better. The problems we are making now we can cure through hard

work if the girls are willing to do it.”