Marymount Is Big With Jorgensborg

Haley Jorgensborg won’t need campus maps next year at UCLA. Nor will she need to pay particularly close attention to orientation classes.

Truth is, she’s plenty familiar with UCLA. The high school she attends, Marymount, is directly across the street, a crosswalk and a short stroll from Pauley Pavilion.

A senior setter and outside hitter, Jorgensborg attracted the Bruins’ attention last year while leading Marymount to the state Division IV championship.

She has the Sailors marching toward a similar destiny this season, with bigger regular-season victories along the way.

Although the enrollment is small at Marymount, a private girls’ school with 395 students, the volleyball team is packed with performers.

Just ask volleyball heavyweights San Clemente and Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, which lost to Marymount at the San Diego Torrey Pines tournament last Friday and Saturday.

“I think they were in shock,” Jorgensborg said. “Everyone was connecting for us.”

Including Jorgensborg, who was all over the court in Marymount’s two-setter offense, making smart decisions at setter and delivering when necessary at outside hitter.

“She’s assertive and aggressive,” Mira Costa Coach Dae Lea Aldrich said. “She’s really mature, which is great for them.”

Marymount defeated San Clemente in four games in the tournament quarterfinals and Mira Costa in four in the semifinals.

The Sailors (21-4) lost to Torrey Pines in the championship in five games, but the point had been made.

Small school doesn’t mean small ball.

“They may not know who we are, but we want to compete with these people,” Marymount Coach Cari Klein said. “I guess we just try to forget the size of our school.”

Jorgensborg isn’t the only talent on the team. Cara Thomason and Stesha Selsky are solid on the outside while Liz Cvitian and Virginia Lavanes have vastly improved at middle blocker since last season.

But when the matches get close and the individual game scores are tight, Jorgensborg becomes the director and producer.

“She has a couple different speeds,” Klein said. “When things get exciting, she steps up. She’s a winner.”

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City chat: With the playoffs three weeks away, the City Section starts to sort itself out this week.

Defending City champion Sylmar plays much-improved Van Nuys in a Valley Mission League match Thursday that could vault Van Nuys into a top-three seeding for the playoffs.

Sylmar (6-1, 5-1 in league play) has won the Chatsworth and Venice tournaments, but lost at Van Nuys (6-1, 6-0) in a four-game match last month.

“We’re two for two [in tournaments],” Sylmar Coach Bob Thomson said. “All we’ve got to do is beat Van Nuys and we’ll be right where we should be. Hopefully we can turn the tables.”

On Saturday, Sylmar hosts a tournament that also features top City teams Chatsworth and Venice.

City playoffs begin Nov. 6.

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THE TIMES’ RANKINGS 1. Santa Ana Mater Dei (22-3, SS--Serra)

Monarchs knock Lakewood St. Joseph out of top 10.

2. North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake (7-0, SS--Mission)

Courtney Schultz (back) sidelined at least a week.

3. L.A. Marymount (21-4, SS--Sunshine)

Sailors move up five spots after stellar weekend.

4. San Clemente (21-3, SS--South Coast)

Lost ground with fifth-place finish at Torrey Pines tournament.

5. Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (16-3, SS--Bay)

Lost to Marymount in Torrey Pines semifinals.

6. Long Beach Poly (14-3, SS--Moore)

Cruising toward rematch with Wilson in league play.

7. Lake Forest El Toro (11-2, SS--South Coast)

Gets another shot at San Clemente in two weeks.

8. Upland (10-2, SS--Baseline)

Might not be challenged again until playoffs.

9. Newport Harbor (12-5, SS--Sea View)

Quietly sneaking back into top 10.

10. Anaheim Esperanza (18-3, SS--Sunset)

Won Silver Division at Torrey Pines tournament.