Estancia plays at its best

COSTA MESA — Estancia High girls volleyball coach Jim Huffman had a feeling his Eagles were ready to play its best match of the season Tuesday night.

The coach saw that his team was peaking at the right time toward the end of the regular season. The Eagles made their coach’s premonition become true, and then some.

Annie Tomasek, who recorded 12 kills, was one of four Estancia players who had double-digit kills in the Eagles’ 25-22, 27-29, 25-20, 25-22 victory over visiting Troy in the first round CIF Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs Tuesday.

Estancia advances to the second round for the first time in 12 years, Huffman said. The Eagles will face Bishop Montgomery, a three-game winner over Irvine, at a site to be determined by a coin flip.

“I guess it’s the adrenaline of CIF playoffs because the team we played was good,” Huffman explained his team effort. “It’s the first time this season we’ve had four girls in double digits for kills.

Jaye Hellmich and Sarah Braunsdorf contributed 15 kills each, and Olivia Schow added 12.

Tomasek also finished with 33 digs and Stacie Watson amassed 54 assists.

Amanda Watson and Tracy Patton chipped in with 18 digs each and Amy Hartwell had 11 digs for the Eagles (20-9).

“It was a crazy night,” Huffman said. “It was a good match. In the third game, we were down 9-2 and came back to win it. As a coach, it was the most well balanced match we’ve had. For the stats to look this good and the match to be so close, it was fun to play and we had a great crowd.”

Estancia collected 10 aces on the night with Tomasek, Helmich and Schow producing two each.

“I just felt going into this, in the last couple weeks in the season, we were playing smarter and smarter,” Huffman said. “It really paid off in the match tonight.”

SAGE HILL ELIMINATED

SANTA FE SPRINGS — The Sage Hill School girls’ volleyball season came to an end with a 22-25, 25-14, 13-25, 26-24, 15-13 loss to St. Paul High in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A playoffs Tuesday.

Senior setter Kelsey Lawler led the team with 44 assists, seven kills and two aces.

“We had quite a few new players at two positions,” Sage Hill Coach Dan Thomassen said. “Two new players at middle blocker and two at outside hitter and they learned very quickly with Kelsey leading the way. She got us through our low points and made it an enjoyable season for everyone.”

Lawler led a group of five seniors that won the Division IV-A section title last season. Amanda Tjan, Amelia Fletcher, Anna Carpenter and Kelly Hutchinson, who had 10 kills, are the other four seniors on the team.

“We only had one bad game and four really good games,” Thomassen said. “It was a really good match. We played really well. I was happy with our effort. The girls left happy with their effort. With five seniors there were some tears, it was a tough moment for them. They didn’t want it to end.”

With outside hitters junior Colleen Heyler, who had 17 kills, and freshman Lindsey Kish, who had 10 kills, Thomassen said the team has a bright future.

“We have a lot of young enthusiastic players,” he said. “This is the most enthusiastic our young players have been. They’re excited to come back next year.”

Sage Hill finished the season 10-17.