Sailors’ McClune is MVP

Barry Faulkner

It has been more than six months since Kristin McClune led the

Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team to the CIF Southern Section

Division II-AA championship last fall.

But not long enough that Sailors Coach Dan Glenn has forgotten

what the 6-foot-3 Pepperdine-bound middle blocker meant to his

program.

While watching McClune on her way to posting a match-high 11 kills

and adding four blocks to help the South defeat the North in the

girls half of the Dave Mohs Memorial Orange County All-Star matches

Friday at Edison High, Glenn let slip what has been on his mind ever

since McClune’s prep eligibility expired.

“We can’t replace that,” Glenn said of McClune, after she peppered

the North with one of her kills. “She’s not only 6-3, but she’s

quick.”

McClune used size and speed to help the South win the first two

games, 25-19 and 25-22, before the North salvaged a 15-11 win in the mandatory third game. Rally scoring was used throughout the match.

McClune had four kills in the first game, five in the second and

two in the third, more than doubling the second-leading South hitter

(Teresa Hart from Dana Hills had five kills).

Yet McClune was genuinely surprised to be awarded the MVP prize, a

new ball autographed by her teammates.

“I was surprised, because there are so many great players,” said

McClune, who has stayed sharp while competing for the Laguna Beach

Volleyball Club.

Corona del Mar senior Claire Allen, a 6-1 outside hitter bound for

UC Irvine, also contributed to the South victory, finishing with two

stuff blocks.

Ocean View middle blocker Jenny Kuehn, who plans to play for

Orange Coast College next year, had three kills for the North, which

was led by Long Beach State-bound setter Dyanne Lawlor from Esperanza

High. Lawlor had nine kills, four aces and one stuff block.