Mira Costa Girls Will Battle El Toro in CIF Volleyball Semifinals

This was supposed to be a rebuilding season for a young Mira Costa High girls’ volleyball team, but Coach Dae Lea Aldrich has worked her magic again to get the Mustangs into the CIF semifinals.

Mira Costa traveled to Orange County on Tuesday night and came away with an impressive 15-12, 3-15, 15-4, 15-9 upset over third-seeded Laguna Beach in the Southern Section 5-A quarterfinals.

“I’m delighted, but not surprised,” Aldrich said. “This team has played very well through the last month.”

Mira Costa won a coin flip Wednesday to earn the home gym for tonight’s semifinals. The Mustangs will face second-seeded El Toro at 7:30 at Redondo High.

It marks the 13th consecutive season that Aldrich has guided a team into the semifinals, the last nine at Mira Costa. She coached at Aviation before the school closed in 1982.

However, after guiding last year’s team to a 28-0 record and the mythical national championship, Aldrich knew it would be difficult for the Mustangs to continue their success with an inexperienced squad that returned only one starter--setter Robin Ortgiesen.

“My greatest joy has been seeing this team improve,” Aldrich said. “I think winning (Tuesday) night was as exciting as winning CIF for these girls because they’re so young.”

But it’s not over. The Mustangs will face a familiar foe tonight.

El Toro (18-3) handed Mira Costa (19-1) its only loss. The Chargers boast a tall lineup headed by 6-foot middle blocker Michelle Mauney, who had 14 kills and 10 blocks in Tuesday’s 12-15, 15-5, 15-7, 15-10 victory over Thousand Oaks.

“It was early in the year,” Aldrich said of her team’s loss to El Toro. “I’m sure we’re both better teams. I think we might have a little bit of an advantage because of who we are and the fact that we’re playing at home. But they’re bigger at the net than we are. We have to keep our finesse.”

Mira Costa did a good job of keeping its composure to eliminate Laguna Beach from the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Outside hitters Cindy DeGarceau and Shannon Park had 12 and 10 kills, respectively, sophomore Tate Medley added eight kills and middle blocker Jennifer Smith contributed six kills and two blocks.

“I’m really pleased we were able to beat a good team like Laguna,” said Aldrich, whose team breezed through its Ocean League schedule. “It was fun to make our mark.”

Laguna Beach Coach Lance Stewart credited Mira Costa’s serving for taking his team out of its rhythm.

“We knew exactly what they were going to do against us,” Stewart said. “They served us and we couldn’t pass it.”