Mira Costa’s Volleyball Success Is a Long Story : Preps: The Mustang girls team will play San Jose Lynbrook for the state championship Saturday.

Mira Costa High formally began its volleyball season in September, but the quest toward the California Division I girls state championship started long ago.

For middle blocker Heidi Eick it began in the seventh grade when she watched Mira Costa win the Southern Section 5-A championship.

For serving specialist Jennifer Streatfield it began last year when she joined the team as a junior after spending a year at a Chicago high school.

For setter Piper Hahn it began four years ago when she was a reserve on the varsity as a freshman.

For Eick, Streatfield, Hahn, Coach Dae Lea Aldrich and the rest of the players, the season, and perhaps the long struggle for the state title, ends Saturday night when Mira Costa, 27-0, plays San Jose Lynbrook at Cal State Fullerton at 7:30.

Lynbrook, 36-1 including abbreviated matches in tournaments, beat Corona Del Mar, 15-9, 7-15, 15-10, 17-19, 15-12, to reach its first state final. Mira Costa reached the championship by beating Livermore Granada, 15-4, 15-0, 15-13, led by Eick’s 13 kills and four solo blocks. Erika Lawson had 10 digs and seven kills.

Most of Mira Costa’s players expected to see Corona Del Mar for a fourth time this year, but Aldrich said Lynbrook is a welcome change.

“We are emotionally glad we don’t have to play Corona again,” Aldrich said. “Each time they got closer.”

Corona came close to making the state final, but Lynbrook won the tight semifinal match in five games.

Lynbrook is a big, strong team. The Vikings, Central Coast Section champions, are led by 6-foot senior outside hitter Holly Racine and 5-11 sophomore middle hitter Michelle Wagner. Junior setter Dawn Hill paces the Lynbrook offense.

Lynbrook is also hungry. It won the De Anza League, usually dominated by Northern California powers Fremont and Los Altos, for the first time and also the Central Coast Section for the first time. Now the Vikings are looking for their first state title.

“We’re excited to play somebody new,” Aldrich said. “But I hope it doesn’t matter who we play. If we play our brand of volleyball, which is fast-paced, we should be OK.”

Aldrich said Lynbrook’s offense moves slower than Mira Costa’s but that the experience of her players should allow them to adjust. Slower-paced teams have caused Mira Costa problems in the past.

Mira Costa seemed to have problems in the last game of the state playoffs. In each of the Mustangs’ three playoff matches, Mira Costa has beaten its opponents by an average of 15-3 in the first two games. In the third game of those matches, they have won by 15-10, 15-10 and 15-13.

But all problems the Mustangs have faced on the court have been solved. No team has won two games from Mira Costa, and only two--Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach--have taken the Mustangs to a four-game match.

Lynbrook needed four games to beat St. Francis of Mountain View in the quarterfinal before its tough match with Corona, while Mira Costa rolled to the final.

If Mira Costa’s biggest problems are concentrating while blowing a team out and not having played any five-game matches, then the Mustangs would appear to be in good shape coming into the final.

“If we have to go to a fourth or fifth game, we’re not going to panic,” Aldrich said. “That’s why I like to see a team like Granada (in the state semifinal) get 13 points. We came back and we won, it builds confidence.” Mira Costa was behind 10-5 at one point during the third game against Granada.

Aldrich said when Mira Costa does not face tough competition in a match, the team practices hard against each other. In this way, reserves such as Jennifer Smith, Allison Dean, Cindy De Garceau and Amy Banachowski play key roles.

“We’re all together in practice; we mix our front lines,” Aldrich said. “Our reserves do a great job, our bench has improved so much this year.”

Mira Costa is together in practice, but as a team they stand apart from other high school programs. Saturday marks the end of a decade that has seen Mira Costa win two CIF state titles and six Southern Section crowns. A victory would give the Mustangs a record third state championship and, in all probability, the mythical national championship, determined by USA Today and Volleyball Monthly magazine.

The match also marks the last high school appearance for Mira Costa’s nine seniors.

“I’ve had a wonderful four years with them,” Aldrich said. “I am going to capitalize on every moment they’re here.”

The players echo Aldrich’s feelings. Setter Hahn leads the team in assists, smiles and having a good time. “We have so much fun, I haven’t thought about it ending; it’s a strange feeling,” Hahn said after the match against Granada. “Tonight Heidi (Eick) came up to me and said this was the last game in our gym. It hasn’t hit me yet.”

Streatfield had no time for sentimentality. “I’m not worried about that,” she said. “I won’t be satisfied until we win the state championship.”

Eick reflected on both the state title and the season ending: “We’ve worked so hard for this. It has been my dream to win the state championship since the seventh grade when I saw Piper’s sister Lindsey play in the CIF final. That’s what got me into volleyball. I suppose we’ll be sad when it ends, but we have to win first, then we can be sad.”

If Mira Costa manages to beat Lynbrook, however, look for Eick and company to be shedding tears of happiness.