Bragging rights are always a motivator when the girls volleyball teams from Mira Costa and Redondo square off, but Thursday’s match between the two squads has extra meaning with the winner taking control of the competitive race for the coveted Bay League title.
With both teams having defeated Palos Verdes in the first of two meetings between the schools, the showdown scheduled for 7 p.m. will put the Mira Costa-Redondo winner in the driver’s seat for the league championship the two teams shared in 2010.
Mira Costa enters the week ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section-Ford Division 1-AA poll while Redondo hold onto the No. 10 spot. Both teams have faced highly ranked opponents in demanding non-league schedules.
“I think our tough schedule has helped our team set the tone for practices,” Mira Costa head coach Lisa Arce-Zimmerman said. “They have a purpose to every drill and can relate what we are working in relation to past experiences. We need to be really focused on the next touch and keep moving forward in the match instead of dwelling on the past. The match (against Redondo) will be intense with emotion and desire, and we will need to keep our composure.”
Mira Costa (7-6, 3-0) defeated Peninsula 25-22, 25-21, 25-20 Tuesday behind Maddy Klineman’s 17 kills. Corie Bain contributed 25 assists while Lexi Millington added seven kills in the victory.
The Mustangs opened their quest for a Bay League title beating Palos Verdes 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 25-22 with Klineman leading the charge for the Mustangs recording 15 kills and six digs. Grayce Campbell had 10 kills and seven digs, Kelsey McIntyre and Gaby Rosenfeld added four kills apiece and Millington contributed three kills and 24 digs.
Mira Costa had little trouble with West last Thursday defeating the Warriors 25-13, 25-14, 25-19 behind Campbell’s eight kills and four digs. Millington added six kills and five digs and Bain supplied 20 assists, five kills, 12 digs and three aces.
Heading into the match against Mira Costa, Redondo head coach Tommy Chaffins’ goal of keeping his team focused on the next play mirrored that of Arce-Zimmerman’s.
“I liked our start (6-0) to the season,” Chaffins said. “We beat a very good Torrey Pines team 2-0 and played our best match to date. Our players have given great effort all season in practice and our depth and work ethic, along with our reaction to adversity from a losing streak has the team believing and working hard. I know we are on the right track and so do they. We played a strong match versus Palos Verdes and hope to build on that.”
Chaffins said he was disappointed with the big run of points surrendered by his team caused by unforced errors ands the inability of adjusting to the opponent’s game plan.
“To beat Mira Costa, we will need to take care of our side of the net with our passing,” Chaffins said. “I like all of our offensive choices, so can we give our setter the most options with strong serve receive. We also will need to have great next play focus because the Mustangs have many, many strong players who can make plays. Hopefully we can limit their plays with strong serving.”
After a three-match losing streak, Redondo regained its winning ways with a 25-15, 25-19, 25-23 sweep over visiting Peninsula. Abril Bustamante led Redondo with eight kills, Devon Bogart had seven kills and Skylar Dykstra and Sade Mendez added one apiece in the Bay League opener for the Sea Hawks.
Redondo continued to roll last Thursday with a 25-23, 25-10, 25-18 sweep at Palos Verdes who entered the match ranked No. 9 in CIF Division 1-AA.
Dykstra recorded 15 kills and 10 digs, Brianna Lanktree added six kills and two blocks, Petra Grutvik had 25 assists and Tiffany Morales added 17 digs for the Sea Hawks.
A 25-17, 25-15, 25-22 victory at West Tuesday kept Redondo (9-6, 3-0) undefeated in league play. Brianna Lanktree led the team with nine kills, Bogart added seven kills and Morales recorded 11 kills.
After their rivalry game on Thursday, Mira Costa and Redondo will head south to Torrey Pines to compete in the 32-team California Challenge Oct. 14-15.
