ORANGE COUNTY ALL-STAR VOLLEYBALL : One of Smallest Players Comes Up Big for North Squad

Estancia’s Mike Truong was one of the smallest all-stars, but he came up with the biggest plays and the big award at the annual Orange County All-Star volleyball match.

Truong, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, had a match-high 10 kills and earned MVP honors in leading the North to a 34-32, 33-31, 23-31 victory over the South Friday night at Golden West College.

“It’s a tremendous feeling being named MVP,” Truong said. “I was intimidated at first with these guys because they’re all so big and so good.”

But Truong helped the North win the second game to clinch the match, making the third game in the rally-scoring exhibition match moot.

Said North Coach Rocky Ciarelli of Huntington Beach: “After I saw him at practice I knew he was a good player. He plays good defense, has a nice serve and he can really get up in the air and spike it.”

Another under-publicized, undersized player, Kiet Tran of Los Amigos, provided a spark for the North, tallying seven kills, five in Game 2.

“I think we showed that although we’re small, it’s not just our jumping ability, but we’re good players too,” Truong said.

Truong and Tran benefited from the setting of Craig LeSueur of Foothill, who had 18 assists in Game 2. Ryan Allen of Edison, who also started for the North in Game 2, had nine kills and Mitch McCoy of Newport Harbor had six.

Bob Hefty of Dana Hills had seven kills and three blocks and Chris Jacobson of El Toro had six kills and two blocks to lead the South.

The South girls’ fared better and won behind MVP Nina Foster’s 15 kills, 31-23, 28-31, 31-28.

Foster and Mission Viejo teammate setter Analisa Saylor gave the North fits. While Foster, who also had two blocks, blasted away in the middle, Jeanne Vetter of Dana Hills, who had 12 kills, and Hilary Kyle of Laguna Beach, who had eight kills, pounded from the outside.

The North made it interesting in Game 2, rallying from a 19-14 deficit to win, 31-28.