Corona del Mar Fights Off Laguna Beach for State Title

It took a little longer, and the Corona del Mar girls’ volleyball team had to work a little harder, but the result was still the same.

Corona del Mar, top-ranked in USA Today’s national poll, fought off a comeback by Laguna Beach for a 15-7, 15-5, 12-15, 2-15, 15-4 victory in the State Division I title match Saturday night in front of 1,686 at Cal State Fullerton.

The five-game victory--Corona del Mar’s second of the season--came only two weeks after the Sea Kings swept Laguna Beach in the Southern Section Division I finals.

Jennifer Stroffe had four of her team-high 17 kills in the fifth game as Corona del Mar built a 9-0 lead and cruised to victory.

“I’m as happy as a gopher in soft dirt right now,” said Corona del Mar Coach Lance Stewart, whose team is 93-8 in all games played this season. “We battled all night.”

Lori Newcomer had 13 kills and a State Division I record 35 digs as the Sea Kings (24-0) won their second title in three years and apparently locked up the national title.

Corona del Mar entered the game ranked No. 1 in USA Today’s poll and second in Volleyball Monthly’s behind Muncie (Ind.) Burris High.

Volleyball Monthly’s Gregg Mansfield, who compiles the rankings, said he plans to rank Corona del Mar and Burris co-champions in the next issue.

“If Burris wants to meet us halfway in Vegas, we will,” Stewart said.

“That would be so fun,” added Corona del Mar middle blocker Allison Englebrecht.

Laguna Beach Coach Michael Soylular said there was no question Corona del Mar was the nation’s best team.

The Sea Kings won a national tournament in Chicago, the Sea View League title, the Orange County Championships and the section title. The Sea Kings defeated Newport Harbor, the State Division III champion, twice in league play, including a five-game match.

“I don’t see why they’re not the best team,” Soylular said. “They won the league, the section, Chicago. They were tested by the Midwest teams. What else is there?”

The Sea Kings also survived two tests by Laguna Beach’s Rachel Wacholder, one of the nation’s top players. Wacholder, a senior who has committed to Colorado, had a match-high 23 kills and 27 digs.

Wacholder was named the division’s MVP, and was joined on the all-tournament team by Newcomer, Corona del Mar setters Kristen Campbell (38 assists) and Kim Coleman (eight kills, 16 digs), Laguna Beach setter Erin Bratcher (45 assists and 11 digs) and Laguna Beach outside hitter Hilary Kyle (15 kills and 33 digs).

Kyle held the division record for digs before Newcomer broke it later in the match.

Corona del Mar appeared to be on its way to another sweep, holding Wacholder to seven kills in the first two games.

Laguna Beach held a 13-12 lead in the third game, and got the ball back when Stroffe was called for a lift violation while attempting a set. Cole Stephens killed a loose ball at the net for a 14-12 lead, and a kill by Kyle gave the Artists the game.

Laguna Beach trailed, 2-0, in the fourth game, but six kills by Wacholder sparked a 15-0 Artist run that tied the match at two games apiece.

“We tend to relax when we are up, two games to none, and that caught up with us tonight,” Stewart said. “Laguna got caught up in the big crowd.

“But when we’re on our game, no one can beat us. In the fifth game, we were on our game.”

Said Soylular: “Before Game 5, we tried to focus on passing. But Corona del Mar came on strong and built the big lead. We couldn’t convert.”

The championship match was an emotional one for players and coaches from both teams. Stewart played and coached at Laguna Beach, and Wacholder plays club volleyball with most of the Corona del Mar players. She and Newcomer are best friends.

“We’re all friends, and it was weird not to be able to high-five them after a play,” Wacholder said. “If someone is going to win over us, I want it to be them.”