CdM’s Hodson part of silver medal

Corona del Mar High standout outside hitter Hayley Hodson helped the U.S. girls’ youth national volleyball team make history on Sunday.

The Americans won the silver medal at the FIVB Volleyball U-18 World Championships in Thailand, marking the first time a U.S. team medaled at the world championships on the youth or junior level.

The U.S. lost the gold medal match to China, which swept, 25-16, 25-21, 25-23.

“China was certainly the better team today,” U.S. Coach Jim Stone said in a press release. “Our goal was to get a medal and today we made it silver, so that made me very happy and very proud of my team. Also this tournament was conducted beautifully, very well organized, good facilities, so we are very happy to be here.”

Hodson rallied the U.S. late in the third set.

Hodson started the third set and finished strong, recording a kill, a block and another kill as the Americans cut the deficit to 24-23 after going on a 4-0 run. Hodson produced four kills and a block in the third set.

Hodson was one of two Orange County players on the U.S. team, the other was Dana Hills High outside hitter Tia Scambray. Hodson and Scambray both play for TStreet Volleyball Club out of Irvine.

Hodson will be a junior at CdM this upcoming school year. Last year, she lifted the Sea Kings to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 1-AA playoffs and made the first-team All-CIF Southern Section Division 1-AA, second-team All-Orange County (the Register), Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Dream Team and first-team All-Pacific Coast League after she recorded 453 kills.

— From staff reports