Nordhoff Maintains a Volleyball Tradition

The Nordhoff High girls’ volleyball team went to its stockpile of weapons Tuesday night at home to gun down Calabasas, 15-7, 15-8, 14-16, 15-1, in a battle for first place in the Frontier League.

The Rangers (7-1, 4-0 in league play) used a powerful serving game to score 16 aces and a multifaceted hitting attack to blow holes in the Calabasas defense. Even Nordhoff’s reserves got into the action with some key plays.

But another win did not impress the Rangers, ranked sixth in the Southern Section 2-A Division. They have grown accustomed to leading the league and to beating Calabasas (7-5, 3-1). Nordhoff has won five of the past eight Frontier titles, including last year’s, and the Rangers have 18 consecutive wins over Calabasas, dating to 1983.

“It wasn’t one of our better matches,” said Nordhoff setter Sami Sawyer, a junior who racked up 35 assists, six service aces and five kills. “We knew we had beaten them for a long time, but we didn’t want to be overconfident. We came out strong, but we let off a bit (in the third game). Then we got our edge back.”

Nordhoff Coach Cheryl Glass said Sawyer’s strong play was key. “She got us going in the first game with her directed, solid serving,” Glass said.

Nordhoff trailed, 6-4, in the first game when Sawyer took her place at the service line and fired off three aces and one service winner in a seven-point run that made it 11-6. The Rangers outscored Calabasas, 4-1, the rest of the game, with a Jana Rigby dink putting the game away.

Alison Nofrey, Kortney Rogers and Sawyer each had an ace as Nordhoff raced ahead, 7-1, in game two. Strong hitting from Nofrey, Rogers and Allison Kerr, who finished with 11, 10 and nine kills, pushed the Rangers the rest of the way to a two-game lead.

The let-up in game three was a combination of Nordhoff losing focus and Calabasas suddenly displaying tremendous defense.

Led by middle blocker Kristi Thomsen and setter Shannon Yamaguchi, the Coyotes scored the first 13 points.

But Veronica Ramirez came off the bench for Nordhoff to spark an 8-0 run with her strong serving and Nordhoff finally caught Calabasas, 14-14.

Thomsen, who had 10 kills and four blocks, gave the Coyotes the third game with a block and a spike, but Nordhoff tore through the Calabasas defense again in the fourth game with more from its arsenal of hits and serves.

Calabasas Coach Janine Fenske said she was disappointed that her team had not put up a better fight.

“We had the momentum quite a few times and then lost it,” she said. “We couldn’t believe we were up. We haven’t beaten them in a long time and that gives them a mental edge. We have the ability to beat Nordhoff . . . I’m trying to get my team to believe they can do it.”