Volleyball Star Marissa Hatchett Shows She’s a Cagey Performer

Marissa Hatchett’s jersey has the nickname “Pig” stitched across it, but it’s not because she hogs the volleyball.

“I collect pig artifacts,” said Hatchett, a 6-foot 1-inch standout at Sunny Hills High School.

“I don’t like real pigs. I just like little cute ones. That’s why my jersey has a pig on it,” she said.

Even if Hatchett did hog all the sets, not many people at Sunny Hills would complain.

“If she gets any kind of set that’s up in the air, she’s unstoppable,” Sunny Hills Coach Ron Kasser said. “Even when she doesn’t get a great set, she still puts it away, whether there’s a block or not.

“She is not just a power hitter either. She’s a smart hitter. She sees the blocks, sees the hole and is very much in control when she gets a set.”

Hatchett, The Times’ athlete of the week, is averaging nearly 30 kills a match, Kasser said. She is one of the main reasons Sunny Hills (19-2) won its first Southern Section 3-A championship Saturday.

Hatchett, a middle blocker, had 24 kills, 12 blocks and 1 service ace to lead top-seeded Sunny Hills to a 15-8, 15-5, 15-12 victory over El Modena in the final at Marina High School.

Mira Costa ended Sunny Hills’ season Monday with a 3-game victory in a wild-card state volleyball tournament qualifying match.

Hatchett’s interest in volleyball was sparked by her parents, who play in volleyball leagues, and her sister, Jamie, a senior playing for USC.

She played basketball and ran track before she reached high school, but decided she did not like those sports.

“I liked (volleyball) better than track because it was a team sport, and I liked it better than basketball because I didn’t like all the physical contact in basketball,” she said.

A top college recruit, Hatchett plans to study political science and eventually obtain a law degree.

“I think I need to concentrate on (college) and then, after that, if there is a chance, I think it would be fun to play in the Olympics or go overseas and play,” she said.

She has narrowed her college choices to Oregon, University of the Pacific, Hawaii and UCLA.

“I’m not saying she is the whole team, but we count on her a lot,” Kasser said. “She is putting the ball down and blocking it and she sets the tone. She leads by example.”

There are quiet leaders, and loud leaders, but Hatchett is a fun leader. She is not a prankster or a card, she just laughs a lot, Kasser said.

“I don’t play practical jokes on anyone or anything,” Hatcher said. “We’re just always laughing, I guess. We always have fun. I think that is sort of what has helped us relax. My freshman year I wasn’t too talkative on the team and everyone was sort of tense. This year we have fun, even at practice, and it has worked for us.”

The laughter bothered Kasser until he saw that it helped his team’s performance, he said.

“When there is a game going on, she’s nothing but business,” he said. “She’s not laughing or joking around during a match. She’s dead serious.”

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Marissa Hatchett

Sunny Hills High School

Position: middle blocker

Height, Class: 6-1, Senior

Last Week: Hatchett totaled 46 kills and 18 blocks in semifinal and final victories over Villa Park and El Modena en route to Sunny Hills’ first Southern Section 3-A championship.

Season: Has been All-Freeway League for 4 years as a varsity volleyball player and was first-team All-Southern Section last year.