Mira Mesa Prevails in Serra Volleyball Tourney

Good things come to those who wait, but Ronni Olsen had no idea it would take her 14 years.

Olsen’s Mira Mesa girls’ volleyball team scored a 15-4, 15-9 victory Saturday over La Jolla to claim the 15th annual Serra Tournament championship.

It was a sweet moment for Olsen, who got the victory over another coach, Vicki Eveleth, who also has never won at Serra.

It is the first tournament victory in Mira Mesa’s 16 years, and it came a year before the school’s enrollment is split to form new Scripps Ranch High School.

This is the 15th year of the tournament, and Olsen has been coach for 14 visits to Serra High School. The way the tournament developed, she felt lucky simply to be in the finals.

“We felt fortunate to get through the day,” Olsen said. “We were not passing well and we were just squeaking by.

“I told them going in (to the last match) that they got all their bad passes out of their system, that all that’s left was good. It was the best we’ve played all year.”

Seniors Jennifer Miner--the tournament most valuable player--Raimi Olsen and Samantha Bond were all part of last year’s team that was beaten in two games by Monte Vista in the tournament championship. But Michelle Wickman, a junior who excelled in this title match, said vengeance provided a little extra incentive for her to get through the early rounds.

Her sister, Melissa, now a freshman at the University of California, was on the team that lost to Monte Vista and was beaten by San Dieguito in the the 1991 San Diego Section 3-A semifinals. Mira Mesa beat both teams to advance to Saturday’s championship.

“I wanted to do my best against San Dieguito (a 15-13, 6-15, 18-16 victory in the first round) so I can call her and tell her we finally beat them,” Wickman said.

And Olsen finally beat the tournament. Eveleth did not. She has coached the Vikings 19 years and gone to the San Diego Section finals the past 10 years but still has not managed to win this tournament.

Mira Mesa’s aggressive play and a defensive adjustment offset the play of Julia Civardi, La Jolla’s four-year varsity starter and all-tournament team selection. They built a 14-1 lead.

Mira Mesa came back from a 6-3 deficit in Game 2, mostly on the strength of Wickman, Miner and Bond. When Miner put the last set on the floor, the championship was theirs.

Finally.