Rivalry Has Become a Bit More Friendly

Their names are all over the Cal State Northridge men’s volleyball record book.

Neil Coffman and Peter Piexoto spent a combined seven years playing for the Matadors.

Tonight, however, they will coach against each other when Notre Dame High plays Alemany in a Mission League girls’ volleyball match at Notre Dame.

Coffman, an All-American at Northridge in 1991 and a third-team All-American in 1990, is a third-year coach at Notre Dame (5-2, 1-0 in league play).

Piexoto, fourth on the Northridge career list in digs and sixth in aces, is a first-year coach at Alemany (6-1, 0-1).

Let the game begin.

“There’s pride on the line, for sure,” Coffman said. “You have Matadors battling each other. And with the Notre Dame-Alemany rivalry, it should be fun.”

Coffman, who played for Northridge from 1989-91 after transferring from UC Santa Barbara, is fourth in career kills and fifth in total attempts. He was an assistant coach with the Matadors during Piexoto’s senior season in 1995.

“I’ve always thought of him as someone who helped me with my game,” Piexoto said. “I learned a lot hanging out with him and watching him.”

As for the match: “It should be a battle,” Piexoto said.

*

A middle blocker of the future, Linda Wang of Chatsworth, and a middle blocker of the present, Trisha Bratford of Taft, meet Tuesday in a West Valley League match between the top City Section teams in the region.

Wang, a 6-foot sophomore, has been one of the reasons for the Chancellors’ rapid start. Still learning the game, Wang had 10 kills for Chatsworth (5-0, 3-0 in league play) in an important early-season sweep of Sylmar.

Bratford, a 6-foot senior who is one of the top players in the City Section, has Taft looking at an appearance in the City Championship playoffs. Last year, the Toreadors (5-0, 3-0) were in the lower-level City Division playoffs.

“There’s still a lot of stuff we need to work on,” said Bratford, well aware that the Toreadors needed five games to beat Granada Hills on Tuesday despite winning the first game, 15-0.

“We just need to make sure everybody keeps doing what they’re supposed to do.”

Bratford said she will schedule recruiting trips to Wisconsin and Florida A&M.;

*

Injuries forced Harvard-Westlake to shuffle its lineup. The results have been very successful.

Outside hitter Karalyn Kuchenbecker, who suffered a mild concussion last week against Notre Dame Academy, was replaced in the lineup by setter Ashley Julian.

Julian was stellar at her new position in the San Marcos tournament last Saturday and earned all-tournament honors.

She had a team-high eight kills in a Mission League victory Tuesday over Louisville.

“She’s been unstoppable,” Coach Jess Quiroz of Harvard-Westlake said. “We’re going to keep Ashley out there. She’s really crushing the ball.”

Julian has passed well, which isn’t too surprising. Her brother, Trevor, is one of the top passers on the USC men’s volleyball team,

“She’s doing an excellent job,” Quiroz said.

Kuchenbecker played sparingly Tuesday against Louisville but is expected to get more playing time tonight against Chaminade.

*

Opposite hitter Cicely Carew of Campbell Hall achieved perfection, delivering 15 kills in 15 attempts Tuesday against Montclair Prep.

Carew was nearly as accurate last week against Brentwood, connecting on 14 of her 16 attempts with one hitting error for an .813 hitting percentage.

She’s almost been hitting better than one of her relatives. Her father, Topper, is a cousin of baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

“I think we’ll definitely make a good run in playoffs if she keeps doing this,” Coach Tim Nollan said.

“The last two games she’s been on fire. We need to find a way to get the ball to her more.”

*

Two players from the region took part in a history-making match for UC Santa Barbara.

The Gauchos defeated a top-ranked team for the first time, sweeping Pacific, 15-10, 15-6, 15-8, last week.

Brooke Rundle, a former setter at Westlake High, had 10 digs and 54 assists for the Gauchos (12-2, 3-1 in Big West Conference play), ranked No. 7 in the nation.

Outside hitter Brooke Niles, who played at Calabasas High, had six digs and five kills in 11 attempts for a .364 hitting percentage.

The Top 10

Rankings of region volleyball teams

*--*

RK LW School (League) Rec. 1 1 La Reina (Tri-Valley) 9-0 2 2 Harvard-Westlake (Mission) 12-5 3 5 Westlake (Marmonte) 9-2 4 3 Royal (Marmonte) 14-4 5 4 La Canada (Rio Hondo) 7-0 6 6 Oxnard (Pacific View) 7-3 7 7 Chatsworth (West Valley) 5-0 8 8 Flint. Sacred Heart (Mission) 4-2 9 9 Taft (West Valley) 5-0 10 NR Valencia (Foothill) 5-0

*--*