SOUTHERN SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS : VOLLEYBALL / DIVISION I GIRLS’ FINALS : Laguna Beach Serves Up Double Trouble in Loss

Twice, the Laguna Beach girls’ volleyball team served for game point in the critical third game of a Southern Section Division I final match against Manhattan Beach Mira Costa on Saturday at Cypress College.

And twice, the Artists lost, enabling the Mustangs to win the match, 15-7, 5-15, 16-14, 15-5, in front of about 2,500.

The difference in the match was serving. The Artists missed five serves in the third game and Mustang Kristin Sigel pounded out point after point with an explosive jump serve.

“The combination of her great serves and our misses were too much for any team to overcome,” Laguna Beach Coach Bill Christiansen said.

The Mustangs, who won their ninth Southern Section title, remained calm when the Artists took a 14-10 lead in the third game.

With Erika Hansen serving game point for the Artists, Leilani Nunes sent a kill down the middle to get the ball back for the Mustangs. Then Rochelle Esparza sent another cross-court to make it 14-11.

“Mira Costa is such a steady team and they are so well-coached that they don’t get rattled when they are behind, 14-11,” Christiansen said.

Leslie Christen had a kill for Laguna Beach for a sideout, bringing up the second game point, but Nunes answered with another kill for a sideout. That brought Sigel to the line. She served two aces to lead the Mustangs on a 5-0 run to win the game.

“We haven’t seen anybody jump serve that hard all year,” Christiansen said.

Laguna Beach, which was making its fourth appearance in a Southern Section final, seemed in shock after losing the third game. Mira Costa took a 7-1 lead in the fourth and never looked back.

“It was just too difficult to recover, mentally. Also, it picked them up so much winning that third game,” Christiansen said.

Esparza led Mira Costa (22-2) with 22 kills and Christen led Laguna Beach (15-3) with nine.

The championship game marked the end of a bizarre tournament in which all four seeded teams were eliminated before the final. Mira Costa upset fourth-seeded San Clemente (14-4) in the quarterfinals and Laguna Beach upset third-seeded Mater Dei (20-3) in the semifinals.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t play our best game, and I’m also excited to be here and play in front of all these people. Everybody thought we would lose in the first round,” Christen said.

Mira Costa, which last won a Southern Section title and the most recent of three State titles in 1989, was nearly flawless in the first game, taking a 10-3 lead before winning the game.

“They came out really strong and we couldn’t get back into it and that was the beginning of [having difficulties],” Christen said.

But the Mustangs faltered in the second game. Mira Costa had seven hitting errors and a service error as Laguna Beach took a 10-1 lead. The Artists easily finished off the game behind three kills by Christen--including the game-winner that she tapped over the Mira Costa block.

In the third game, the Artists fell behind, 10-8, before going on a 6-0 run sparked by two kills and a block by Christen to take a 14-10 lead. That’s when things took the fatal turn, however.

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The Champions

Results of the girls’ volleyball championship matches at Cypress College:

DIVISION I

Manhattan Beach Mira Costa d. Laguna Beach, 15-7, 5-15, 16-14, 15-5

DIVISION II

North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake d. Torrance Bishop Montgomery, 12-15, 15-11, 15-5, 16-14

DIVISION III

Redlands d. Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World, 19-17, 15-13, 15-13

DIVISION IV

Paso Robles d. Cerritos, 15-3, 15-11, 6-15, 15-5

DIVISION V

San Luis Obispo Mission Prep d. Los Angeles Brentwood, 15-11, 15-8, 15-9

DIVISION VI

Hesperia Christian d. Los Angeles Windward, 15-11, 15-8, 4-15, 15-10