PREP VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP : May Works Hard to Lead Newport Harbor’s Victory

As Misty May signed autographs after Newport Harbor won its second consecutive Sea View League victory over Corona del Mar Thursday night, her signature took on a characteristic of the emotional match--her hands were trembling.

“I’m shaking so bad,” May said. “I can’t explain how this feels.”

She didn’t have to. Her play in the top-ranked Sailors’ 15-10, 15-13, 5-15, 18-16 victory spoke volumes.

May, a junior outside hitter, had a match-high 31 kills, ended the match with an ace and pestered No. 2 Corona del Mar in ways the statistics couldn’t document. But she started to tire midway through the third game, at which point Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn took her out so she could rest.

“We set Misty way too much,” Glenn said. “We had to get the ball to Melissa (Schutz).”

The Sailors (14-0, 12-0) got to Schutz when they had to. The junior middle blocker had six of her seven kills in the fourth game, when Newport Harbor got its blocking game in full swing.

Not that Corona del Mar (16-2, 10-2) was waiting for May to wither.

“She’ll get her kills,” Sea King Coach Lance Stewart said. “What people forget is that she really kills you with her serving, her passing, her back-row defense.”

The Sea Kings led as much as 9-5 in the fourth, but Newport Harbor crept back. Corona del Mar held off two match points until 16-16, when the Sea Kings netted a ball for a Newport Harbor sideout. May made a cross-court kill then served out the match.

Jennifer Stroffe had 18 kills and Katherine Rice added 13 for Corona del Mar.