ROUNDUP : Sailors Upset in Quarterfinals of Illinois Event

The Newport Harbor girls’ volleyball team, top-ranked nationally, might have been guilty of looking too far ahead when it played unranked Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary’s Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Nike Challenge in Manteno, Ill.

St. Mary’s used a sturdy defense to shield itself from Newport Harbor’s attack and outlasted the Sailors, 16-14, 9-15, 16-14. It was Newport Harbor’s first loss in 17 matches.

“It was a great match,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “They outplayed us in each of the three games.”

St. Mary’s (23-2) was not able to control Newport Harbor’s Misty May, who had 43 kills in the match and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. But St. Mary’s kept its momentum all the way to the championship, first defeating Chicago Mother McAuley (No. 5 in the USA Today poll), 15-7, 15-5, and then Lincoln (Neb.) East, 18-16, 15-1.

“We wanted to beat Newport,” St. Mary’s Coach Kathy Hardigan said. “Beating Newport opened the door for us emotionally.”

Hardigan agreed that May earned the MVP award. “Misty is a phenomenal player,” Hardigan said.