Girls volleyball: Sea Kings roll past Northwood

Tony Altobelli

CORONA DEL MAR - Still riding high from Tuesday’s five-game win at

Laguna Beach, the Corona del Mar High girls volleyball team made short

work of visiting Northwood, 15-1, 15-5, 15-7, Thursday night in Pacific

Coast League action.

“There are still things we need to work on, but I think we’re going in

the right direction,” Coach Steve Conti said.

The Sea Kings, ranked No. 2 in CIF Division III-AA, needed only 39

minutes to dispose the Timberwolves (0-5, 0-2 in the PCL).

Senior outside hitter Lindsay Anstandig led CdM’s attack with 11

kills, while fellow junior middle blocker Katie Duggan added seven kills

for CdM (4-2, 2-0)

Unlike their match against the Artists, the Sea Kings grabbed control

of the match early, scoring the first 10 points before Northwood could

even grab a sideout.

“We started out slowly in the Laguna Beach match, losing the first

game, 15-2,” Conti said. “Tonight, we really made an effort to start out

quick and grab the advantage.”

Duggan closed out Game 1 with a solid kill and block for the Sea

Kings’ final two points.

Game 2 saw the Timberwolves actually take an early lead, thanks to

strong play from Kelsey Steele, who led Northwood with six kills.

CdM led, 5-4, before closing Game 2 out with a 10-1 run, thanks to the

strong hitting of Anstandig and the serving and setting of junior

Jacqueline Becker.

“We need to do a better job of setting in the middle,” Conti said.

“Once we establish that we can execute in the middle, that opens up the

entire floor for us.”

Northwood led, 2-0, in Game 3 before CdM grabbed control with an 8-0

run.

The Timberwolves, in their first varsity season, showed some grit and

cut the lead to, 8-6, before CdM pulled away.

“In order to win, you’ve first got to learn how to get your head

kicked in,” Coach Chris Cole said, jokingly. “We’re still learning out

there.”