DAILY PILOT DREAM TEAM:GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL :Piggott had no time for pain

An indication to the swelling of Juliane Piggott’s knee earlier this year could be found in Coach Bill Christiansen’s description.

“Super ugly,” the Corona del Mar High girls’ volleyball coach said of his star player’s knee.

But there was hardly anything repulsive about Piggott’s comeback. Yet, toward the end of the regular season, Piggott had to deal with pain from a bruised meniscus.

“I was incredibly proud of her. She never got down about the injury and worked very hard to rehab quickly,” Christiansen said. “I don’t think most players would have made it back, but she made it back. She kept a good attitude.”

Piggott, a senior bound for UCLA, came back and helped lead the Sea Kings reach the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs. Corona del Mar also made it to the CIF State southern region semifinals.

For her efforts, Piggott has been named the Daily Pilot Dream Team Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year.

“I couldn’t tell how serious it was,” Christiansen said of Piggott’s injury. “We were all very wary of it. It looked horrible when it happened. She came back after a week and it was puffy. But, she did everything she needed to do.”

Christiansen added Piggott wasn’t the only valuable weapon on his team. Senior Kelly Christian, a versatile senior bound for the University of Washington, was also key for the Sea Kings, Christiansen said. The two shared the MVP for the Pacific Coast League.

Christian is also on this year’s Dream Team, which also includes: Newport Harbor’s Katie Wells, Megan Munce and Alesha Young, as well as Estancia’s Jaye Hellmich and Sage Hill’s Kelsey Lawler.

Here is a closer look at the honorees:

Juliane Piggott

Corona del Mar, Senior

A powerful hitter who earned first-team All-CIF honors. The Sea Kings senior, who overcame a knee injury, recorded 341 kills for the Sea Kings. She has committed to UCLA.

Despite the injury, Piggott still maintained a high level of play that made her stand out among the competition.

Kelly Christian

Corona del Mar, Senior

This season, the Corona del Mar senior was the ultimate team player. A talented outside hitter, Christian was the team’s primary setter in order to give the Sea Kings the versatility needed to thrive in the playoffs. Christian was named first-team All-CIF and shared the Pacific Coast League MVP award with Piggott. Christian, who has committed to the University of Washington, had 338 kills, 340 assists and 250 digs on the season.

Christian never shied away in the Sea Kings’ important matches. She produced 13 kills and 13 assists in Corona del Mar’s four-game loss to Laguna Beach in the Southern California semifinal.

Katie Wells

Newport Harbor, Senior

In her first year on varsity, to say Wells had a breakout season would be an understatement. The senior was an offensive and defensive force along the net for the Sailors. Wells was named to the All-CIF Division I second team and All-Sunset League first team.

Her play helped the Sailors become co-champions of a league with two defending section champions. And when the spotlight was on her, Wells performed her best. In the Sailors’ five-game defeat in the second round of the Division I-AA playoffs Wells had a team-high 19 kills and six blocks.

In a five-game victory over Los Alamitos in the season finale which gave the Sailors a share of the title Wells recorded a career-high 22 kills and 11 blocks.

Megan Munce

Newport Harbor, Junior

Munce was a model of consistency for the Sailors. The junior could be counted on for double-digit kills in nearly every game regardless of length. In a three-game sweep of defending Division I-AA champion Esperanza, Munce delivered 11 kills. In the Sailors’ playoff loss she had 13 kills and a team-high 17 digs.

Munce, who was in her second year as the Sailors’ starting outside hitter, finished with 11 kills, 15 digs and two aces in a five-game victory over Los Alamitos to clinch a share of the league title. Munce was also named second-team all-league.

Alesha Young

Newport Harbor, Junior

Young was key in starting the Sailors’ offense, setting the ball with accuracy anywhere along the net. The junior also delivered on defense with timely blocks and digs.

In the five-game victory over Los Alamitos, Young amassed 46 assists, setting up over a third of the Sailors’ points, along with 20 digs and three kills. In a four-game victory over Back Bay rival Corona del Mar, Young collected 45 assists, five digs and four blocks. In Newport Harbor’s second round five-game playoff loss, she produced 55 assists and 12 digs.

Young, also in her second year as Newport Harbor’s starting setter, was named first-team all-league.

Jaye Hellmich

Estancia, Senior

The four-year varsity starter at middle blocker was a force in the Estancia offense. The senior, with the help from Stacie Watson’s precise setting. helped lead the Eagles to the second round of the CIF playoffs for first time in 12 years.

Estancia finished second in the Orange Coast League, behind section champion Laguna Beach, and Hellmich recorded 15 kills and two aces in the Eagles’ four-game victory over Troy in the first round of the Division II-AA playoffs. Hellmich was named first-team all-league.

She is a repeat Dream Team selection.

Kelsey Lawler

Sage Hill, Senior

The Lightning’s senior setter earned first-team All-Academy League honors this season to wrap up her four-year varsity career. She amassed a team-high 44 assists to go with seven kills and two aces in Sage Hill’s five-game first-round loss to St. Paul.