All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year: Lund was tower of strength for Flintridge Sacred Heart

Perhaps it’s fitting that the view for Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy senior Kayla Lund comes from atop a hill roughly 1,900 feet high.

Over the last four years, the 6-foot Lund has stood as the colossus of St. Katherine Dr.

During her tenure, the Tologs posted a 103-31 record (.769 winning percentage) and a 26-8 mark in the formidable Mission League with two league titles, while the team never finished worse than second place.

In the postseason, Flintridge Sacred Heart totaled a 5-4 mark in CIF Southern Section Division I, I-A and I-AA play with one trip to the semifinals and advancement past the first round in three of four years.

As for stats, well, they’re impressive.

Lund tallied 2,023 kills, 948 digs, 273 assists, 178 blocks, 175 aces in four campaigns.

This past season, the University of Pittsburgh-bound senior tallied 555 kills, 348 digs, 251 assists, 81 aces and 38 blocks.

Lund was named a Maxpreps.com third-team All-American in the same offseason in which she was also declared an American Volleyball Coaches Assn. All-American.

The outside hitter was also honored with CIF Southern Section Division I first-team accolades and All-Mission League first-team honors.

For those accomplishments and many more, Lund was selected the 2016 All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year, as voted by the sports writers of the Glendale News-Press, La Cañada Valley Sun and Burbank Leader.

It is Lund’s second straight selection and marks the fourth consecutive year a Flintridge Sacred Heart player has won the award.

As declarative or definitive as her stats may be, there is another side to Lund, one perhaps that shows her true value.

The San Gabriel Valley Elite Club player was one of four members of her family to have worn the name Lund on her back over the last four years, joining cousins Clare, Katherine and Megan. They all played together in 2015.

“I don’t know if there’s a family like ours who has gone through Flintridge Sacred Heart,” Kayla Lund said. “Although I don’t have a sister – I have two brothers – I’m really close with my cousins. I was never alone and I always had help.

“Because of that, I always wanted to represent my family well.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing Kayla Lund and Flintridge Sacred Heart came from the graduation of Clare Lund at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign.

The All-Area first-team setter tallied 1,103 assists to help the Tologs win a share of a league title. Clare Lund also helped feed Kayla Lund, who totaled 554 kills in 2015 to win her first All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year award.

Without a steady setter for the first time in years, Flintridge Sacred Heart tried something new.

“There wasn’t one dominant passer on this team, so we spread out the passing,” Flintridge Sacred Heart Coach Ernest Banaag said. “In most of my previous teams, there would be a dominant setter. This year, we took contributions from all over and the leadership came from Kayla and Ellis [DeJardin] was a big help.”

Lund and All-Area first-teamer DeJardin, two attackers, were two of four Tologs to total more than 250 assists.

Lund, who had combined for 22 assists in three previous seasons, was No. 4 on the squad with 251 assists.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing with Kayla this year,” DeJardin said. “She’s an example of doing whatever is necessary for the betterment of the team. She’s also been an example of what it means to never stop fighting in a game situation.

“She’s always the one to offer encouragement and when we’re in a rut in a match, she responds with passion, so much passion it’s palpable. She’s just a leader.”

Sophomore Colleen Clapp paced the Tologs with 456 assists, while DeJardin added 392 and Cate Doud contributed 256 as the trio combined with Lund to total 1,355 assists.

“When you’re looking for someone to set an example, she’s right there,” Flintridge Sacred Heart assistant Trent Tcheng said. “You don’t need rah-rah speeches with Kayla, she understands and motivates.”

Aside from Clare Lund’s graduation, the other big issue facing Flintridge Sacred Heart at the start of the season was chemistry and experience.

The 2016 Tologs were arguably the most inexperienced squad in Banaag’s tenure, as a roster of 19 players included only one more returner (nine) than it did underclassmen (eight).

Despite several changes, there was one constant.

“I treated everyone on this team like they were my sisters,” Kayla Lund said. “I remember what it was like my freshman and sophomore years coming into this team and the older girls treated me well. I always wanted to return the favor when the time came.”

This past season, Lund’s leadership, backed up by her scintillating play, led the Tologs to a 23-10 record and a 5-3 mark in the Mission League to finish second.

There was some concern over the Tologs’ postseason viability after the squad hit the midway point in league with a 2-2 mark.

Lund averaged 17 kills, 13 digs and 3 1/2 aces over Flintridge Sacred Heart’s final four league matches as the team finished 3-1 and avenged an earlier defeat to Louisville via a 25-12, 25-20, 25-18 win on Oct. 13 in the league finale.

In that contest, Lund took charge with 14 kills, seven aces and 10 digs as the Tologs clinched a playoff berth.

“Kayla definitely led by example and by her words,” DeJardin said. “There would be timeouts where the coaches would say a couple of words and then Kayla would be the one instructing us on the play and giving us tips. She led by example.”

Though Flintridge Sacred Heart fell short in its bid to repeat as a league champion, the 2016 Tologs accomplished something the 2015 squad didn’t.

DeJardin tallied 16 kills and Lund racked up 15 kills in the Tologs’ 25-15, 25-21, 25-20 victory over San Marcos in the first round of the Division I playoffs. Only a season earlier, Flintridge Sacred Heart was upset at the same stage.

“It was a real special moment to share with my teammates because the expectations weren’t that high this year,” Lund said. “We finished second in a year that I don’t think anyone thought we’d finish that high and we won a playoff match. How can I be disappointed with this year?”

Lund’s swansong came when she tallied 33 kills and 19 digs in a 25-20, 28-26, 25-27, 25-20 defeat to host Lakewood in the second round on Nov. 3.

Lund’s 33 kills marked a season-high.

“Leave it to Kayla to finish off playing her best volleyball,” Tcheng said. “She’s somebody we’re all going to miss around here. It wasn’t just her outstanding play, but her outstanding personality. She was just a tower for this team.”