Selsky Thrives on Big Game

In an era of specialization, Stesha Selsky was an all-around bundle of energy as she led the Los Angeles Marymount girls’ volleyball team to its fourth consecutive state title last month.

The 5-foot-10 senior set the ball when the rotation took her into the back row, hit it when she played in the front row and, defensively, was all over the court. She was selected the most outstanding player of the Division IV state final.

Selsky, believed to be one of only three girls’ volleyball players to have played on four consecutive state championship teams, is also The Times’ girls’ volleyball player of the year.

“She’s just a ballplayer,” Marymount Coach Cari Klein said. “She plays in the big games, not necessarily in practice. But the bigger the game, the better she plays. She’s a gamer, and they don’t come around very often.”

Marymount (35-1) finished its best season in school history on a 33-game winning streak with titles in three major regular-season tournaments. Selsky was selected the most valuable player of each.

The Sailors were ranked No. 1 by The Times at the end of the regular season and went on to win their third consecutive Southern Section Division IV-AA championship.

Their only loss was to Santa Ana Mater Dei in four games in mid-September. In what observers said was Selsky’s finest performance of her high-school career, Marymount beat the Monarchs in four games a month later to win the Torrey Pines tournament.

In the state final, a 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17 victory over Garden Valley Golden Sierra, Selsky posted a rare triple-double with 24 assists, 15 kills and 15 digs.

“There’s never a big game where she hasn’t come to play,” Klein said. “The last point of the match has to go to Stesha. Game point, you have to set her. She’s all-around.”

So much so, that when she starts practice at Michigan next fall, Selsky will have options. She’s been told she’ll play one of three positions: setter, outside hitter or Libero.

“She can do anything,” Klein said.

But practice? Selsky said high school practices weren’t her forte, and Klein concurred. In fact, Klein was critical of her team’s practice habits during the season. Selsky said the Sailors often took practices too lightly.

“I’m a gamer,” Selsky said. “No matter what, I come ready to play. In practice it’s really hard for me. It’s not competitive enough for me, or intense.”

But what about college? Surely Michigan will demand more.

“All practices in colleges will be at a high level,” she said. “But high school is different. In club we practice hard, and it’s at a higher level. When you play at a higher level, it’s easier to practice at a higher level.”

An accomplished beach volleyball player, Selsky said learning to play different positions has made her a better indoor player.

“It’s actually fun to know how to hit and set,” she said. “Nowadays, players only specialize in positions. You only want to be a setter or you only want to be a hitter. I think it’s really crucial to know how to do everything.”

*

(Begin Text of Infobox)

THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*

PAUL MCLEOD’S FINAL GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS AND COMMENTS:

*--* Rk School (Rec., Comment Div.) 1 Marymount (35-1) Won fourth consecutive state title. SS-Div. IV-AA 2 Los Alamitos Overcame adversity to win state title after (28-9) SS-Div. losing section final. I-AA 3 Mater Dei (35-4) Section champion lost in state title match. SS-Div. II-A 4 Mira Costa (33-4) Won section title, lost regional final to SS-Div. II-AA Mater Dei. 5 Esperanza (33-3) Faltered in state playoffs after winning SS-Div. I-AA first section title. 6 Newport Harbor Player short in section, state title attempts. (25-7) SS-Div. II-AA 7 Long Beach Wilson Talented but couldn’t win the big tournaments. (30-9) SS-Div I-AA 8 Santa Margarita Won section title, then lost in state final. (26-8) SS-Div. III-AA 9 Temecula Won first section title before quick exit in Chaparral (26-9) state playoffs. SS-Div. I-A 10 Bishop Montgomery Won section title in what was rebuilding year. (25-9) SS-Div III-A

*--*

*

THE TIMES’ ALL-STAR GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL TEAM

*--* FIRST TEAM Cynthia Barboza, L.B. Wilson Middle Blocker Junior 2002 MVP returned from Pan American Games tired but is considered top recruit on West Coast, if not in nation. Mallorie Croal, Mater Dei Outside Hitter Junior Was named most valuable player of Serra League, a circuit that produced three Southern Section championship teams. Sydney Donahue, Mira Costa Outside Hitter Senior The 5-7 pistol could hammer and led Mustangs to title in one of toughest Southern Section divisions. Ashley Engle, Esperanza Opposite Sophomore The 6-3 lefty came up big-time from right side in key matches but has long-range goal of being college setter. Stesha Selsky, Marymount S/OH Senior Michigan-bound standout is one of only three players known to have played on four consecutive state title teams. Ashley Tarutis, Los Alamitos Setter Senior Heady player helped Griffins regroup after section title loss and go on to win school’s first state title. Cari Klein, Marymount Coach Led Sailors to fourth consecutive state title, third consecutive Southern Section title and has them on a 33-match winning streak. SECOND TEAM Sue Carls, Marymount Middle Blocker Junior Alyson Jennings, Newport Harbor Outside Hitter Senior Kelly Kaplan, Granada Hills Outside Hitter Senior Blair Socci, Santa Margarita Outside Hitter Junior Kelli Tennant, Chaparral Middle Blocker Junior Talia Whitfield, L.B. Poly Outside Hitter Senior

*--*