Lightning show heart in five-game setback

NEWPORT COAST — The fifth game hasn’t been kind to the Sage Hill School girls’ volleyball team this year.

Two of the Lightning’s three Academy League losses had been in five-game matches heading into Tuesday’s match against St. Margaret’s. After a 24-26, 22-25, 25-9, 25-16, 15-13 defeat it is now three of four.

This last one could be the toughest, next to a five-game loss to Oxford Academy in a battle for first place a week ago. Tuesday’s game was for second place and a definitive playoff spot with one match remaining. The Tartans were also the team the Lightning dispatched of in the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A finals last season.

But these aren’t the same teams. The Lightning (8-17, 5-4 in league) now start two freshman and a sophomore. One constant has been four-year starting setter Kelsey Lawler.

“We played our hearts out,” said Lawler, who was first-team All-CIF last year. “I’m not disappointed at all. We’ve had a lot of tough losses. We’ve gotten a lot better. We still have a chance to make playoffs if we play our hearts out.”

A win in Thursday’s season finale over Whitney, last in the league, could all but ensure the third and final playoff spot the Academy League guarantees. It will be Senior Night and Lightning Coach Dan Thomassen said his team will be prepared.

“We still have a good chance to make the playoffs,” Thomassen said. “It’s exciting to know we can play our best volleyball in big matches.”

The Lightning have melded youth and experience all year. The starting lineup features three returning seniors, led by Lawler, who dished out 38 assists.

On the youthful end, there is junior outside hitter Colleen Heyler, who is in her first year starting and smashed a team-high 15 kills, as well a sophomore and two freshman. Freshman outside hitter Lindsey Kish had 13 kills and four aces.

“It’s kind of interesting because we had had the same lineup the past three years,” Lawler said. “It creates a really good dynamic. [The new players] are great players. They contribute a lot. I’ve seen a lot of hitters and we work well together. I love them to death.”

Last season, the Lightning were dominant, plowing through the competition to a 27-9 record and a section title with Division IV Co-Player of the Year Cat Dailey, who is now at UC Berkeley, and Haywood Wright, who was second-team All-CIF.

The future is unknown this year and Lawler is enjoying the change.

“We’ve transitioned into unknown freshman, but they put everything into it,” Lawler said. “It’s not weird. It’s good for me to see every side of what a team can be. I was really blessed last year. But just because we don’t win every match doesn’t mean we can’t be as good or don’t have as much heart.”

Kish credits Lawler with helping the hitters on the team who are new to the varsity level.

“Kelsey’s sets have been great all year,” Kish said. “Our hitting has improved. The entire middle was great. After the match, we just talked about things we did well. We had great energy and I think we passed well. Just bring it on next time.”

The match flipped after the second game. The Lightning only trailed for one point through the first two games, jumping out to a large lead early and maintaining late.

In the final three games, the Lightning never led. In fact, other than 1-0, Sage Hill never came within a point of St. Margaret’s until rallying to 14-13 in the fifth game. Down 14-11 the Lightning pulled to within a point off an error and a kill from Heyler, but St. Margaret’s kept the match from being tied.

“Our girls are bummed. This was right up there with our loss to Oxford,” Thomassen said. “We’re still doing a lot of things right, but we’re inconsistent. The seniors are great and they’re doing everything we ask of them. Kelsey is the heart of the program. She kind of spreads her competitive nature to the rest of the team.”

Lawler also added two blocks and three aces for the Lightning.

The first two games were positives for Sage Hill. The Lightning blitzed to a 7-1 lead to open the game. Sage Hill pushed the lead to 23-16 with a 5-1 run capped by an ace from Lawler and a kill from Heyler. St. Margaret’s tied the score 24-24, but the Lightning came back with kills from Kish and freshman Madison Gordon to take a 1-0 lead.