Girls’ Volleyball: CdM sweeps Laguna

Steve Astor was on the Laguna Beach High bench as an assistant the last time the Breakers defeated Corona del Mar in girls’ volleyball … in 2009.

But, presiding as the CdM head coach when the Breakers visited for another installment of the coastal rivalry on Wednesday, he was in no mood for a flashback.

So, with the Sea Kings trailing, 9-5, in the opening set, Astor called timeout to give his players a little history lesson.

“I kind of had to get on them a little bit,” Astor said of the reset that was followed by a 13-1 run that eventually became a 20-3 blitz to close out a 25-12 triumph en route to the nonleague sweep. “I don’t think they were ready to play. I just reminded them we were playing a match against a team that has been a historic rivalry for a long time.”

The message apparently resonated, though the Sea Kings, ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 preseason poll, also had to overcome slow starts in the final two sets to polish off the Breakers, 25-13, 25-19.

CdM senior outside hitter Brooke Cuthbertson served 13 straight points after Astor’s spirited timeout address in the opening set. She posted both of her aces during that stretch, helping the winners (1-1) earn a 10-1 advantage in that department.

“I think our serving was better [than in a five-set season-opening loss to Los Angeles Marymount, ranked No. 8 in CIF Division 1],” Astor said. “Brooke Cuthbertson had a great run and that kind of turned the set around for us.”

Senior setter-opposite Alexa Bonanno and junior setter-opposite Ashley Humphreys added two aces apiece, as did junior outside hitter Raleigh Garner. Senior outside hitter Alex Osterberg and junior outside hitter Christina Davenport also contributed to the ace barrage for CdM.

Bonanno and Humphreys led the attack. Bonanno had a match-best 13 kills to go with 17 assists and six digs.

Humphreys chipped in 12 kills, 20 assists and one block assist to help the Sea Kings overcome the absence of 6-foot-4 sophomore middle blocker Kendall Kipp, who is competing for the U.S. youth national team at the NORCECA U18 Continental Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico through Thursday.

Kipp is expected back for the Dave Mohs Memorial tournament Friday, Saturday and Monday, as well as the Battle of the Bay showdown with Back Bay rival Newport Harbor on Sept. 15.

It was the eighth straight victory over Laguna Beach for CdM, which after a five-set win in 2010 has claimed 21 of the last 25 sets against the Breakers.

“I was on the [Laguna Beach] side for some of those [losses],” Astor said with a smile. “I was an assistant coach for Lance Stewart [who also coached at CdM] at Laguna Beach from 2006 to 2012.”

Davenport (six kills and one block assist), Osterberg (12 digs and three kills), Garner (nine digs) and junior libero Tia Grippo (six digs) also helped CdM continue its run against its neighbors to the South.

CdM went on a 13-3 run in the second set to pull away from a 5-5 deadlock.

In the third set, Laguna Beach led, 14-10, before the Sea Kings righted themselves.

Junior Lexi McKeown had 10 kills to pace the youthful Breakers (6-4), who start two freshmen and a sophomore under first-year coach Carson Tanner.

Freshman Cambria Hall (five kills) and one ace, also stood out for Laguna Beach, ranked No. 3 in CIF Division 2, which was without 6-3 junior middle blocker Alya Post, who is sidelined with a rib injury, Tanner said.

“We’re very young,” Tanner said. “It’s a very transitional year for us. Our serve-receive wasn’t consistent enough and we let them have a late run in each set.”