Eagles soar into fog of Coastal Canyon League





HAMMER TIME—Giselle Langley, an Oak Park High girls’ volleyball senior outside hitter, spikes the ball against Newbury Park on Tuesday.

HAMMER TIME—Giselle Langley, an Oak Park High girls’ volleyball senior outside hitter, spikes the ball against Newbury Park on Tuesday.

On the first day of summer conditioning four years ago, Lily Rudnick was just another incoming freshman.

She wondered how a 13-yearold like herself could stand out from the crowd. Was she going to make the cut for the Oak Park High girls’ volleyball team?

The very first opportunity Rudnick had to hit the ball, she pegged a girl in the back with a gnarly spike.

Head coach Patrick Quinn tapped Rudnick on the shoulder.

“Hey, we think you’re really good,” Quinn said.

Then the coach delivered crushing news.

“Are you going to get taller?” he asked.

Height is a sensitive issue for Rudnick, now a 17-year-old senior captain and standout outside hitter. In last year’s article on the Eagles, Quinn told this newspaper that Rudnick was 5-foot-5.

“I’m 5-foot-6 . . . and a half,” she said with a smile. “I’m not 5-foot-5. I was so mad at him for a week.”

Rudnick and the Eagles will try to stand tall in the newly formed Coastal Canyon League.

“We can either be in first place or last,” senior outside hitter Giselle Langley said. “We can go in either way. Teams are really even. If we work hard, we have the potential to maybe win league.”

Oak Park, Camarillo, Moorpark, Royal and Simi Valley will compete for the first Coastal Canyon banner this fall.

The Eagles have a nice blend of youths (four sophomore starters) and experience (five seniors), but injuries have relegated three starters to the sidelines.

Junior setter Hillary Delin will be out at least for the next three weeks, according to Quinn. Kristen Dunlay, a senior opposite and primary backup setter, suffered a dislocated kneecap with a bone chip in February. Dunlay said she wants to start playing next week. Rudnick, Oak Park’s team MVP in 2013, missed the Westlake tournament last weekend with a fever, but she’s back in the lineup.

The Eagles thrive at serving and hitting, but they struggle with passing and defense, the coach said. Staying—or getting— healthy is the biggest concern right now.

“We need to be healthy to compete,” Quinn said. “I want them to continue to get better.”

The Eagles took fourth place in the Tri-Valley League and won a Division 2AA first round playoff match at Downey last fall. The top three Coastal Canyon teams will qualify for the postseason.

Rudnick has started for three seasons. The captain has played volleyball for eight years, and she’s familiar with players on many league teams from suiting up with the Point West Mizuno Volleyball Club in Simi Valley.

“This is my last year. I really, really would love to make the playoffs and end strong,” said Rudnick, who participated in ice skating, gymnastics and tennis in her youth. “If we’re consistent we can be a top team. We have to serve tough and play our hardest.”

The honors student still has a soft spot for her coach.

“He is tough,” Rudnick said of Quinn. “If you’re not working hard, he’s going to tell you. He knows what he’s doing and talking about. I trust him with what he says. He does care about each and every one of us, whether he’s yelling or not.”

Dunlay, a captain and threeyear starter, cannot wait to return to action. She will miss this weekend’s San Luis Obispo Tournament, but she’ll still travel with the team.

“I’m really competitive,” she said. “It’s really hard to watch from the sidelines.”

Dunlay said the Eagles enjoy each other’s company at practice, school and on road trips.

“Everyone gets along,” she said. “There’s no drama on the team, which I appreciate. It’s just a good group of girls.”

Oak Park must dial up the intensity for a chance to qualify for the playoffs and learn how to finish games strong.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Dunlay said. “We really need to want to win—we need to not just play to have fun but play to win. That’s something we’ve struggled with.”

The Eagle is active in the Key Club, a community service group. She’s an honors student with a 4.15 grade-point average.

Dunlay has a twin sister on the team, Kelly, a senior opposite hitter.

Kelly Dunlay is a versatile athlete. She’s played every position except middle blocker in four seasons at Oak Park. The Eagle said the team has potential to make big strides this season.

“We have potential,” Dunlay said. “All the younger girls on varsity are still getting used to the speed of it, but it’s fun watching them improve.”

Dunlay, an honors student, is active in the Key Club. She’s considering studying communications at San Diego State.

Dayna Rosenthal is a senior middle blocker who loves starting a rally with a pivotal block.

“I love our chemistry and how well we play together,” Rosenthal said. “Nobody clashes. We all get along.”

She has a lofty goal of getting “10 blocks in a game . . . in a row.”

Rosenthal is active in the United Synagogue Youth organization, and she enjoys playing with Kelly Dunlay and watching shows on Netflix.

Langley has found her way into the starting lineup. Last season, Langley was primarily a serving specialist. This offseason, Langley missed three months with a dislocated knee cap. After her recovery, she worked hard to hone her skills with private lessons and extra practice with Spectrum Volleyball Club in Thousand Oaks. The hard work is paying off, big time.

“I’m getting a lot more playing time,” Langley said. “This year I’m really passionate. I really want to win.”

Langley was captain of the junior varsity team as a sophomore and captain of the frosh-soph team her first year at Oak Park. She grew up playing softball and soccer before starting volleyball in sixth grade. The honors student with a 4.4 GPA is spirit commissioner of the Key Club and vice president of the French Club. Langley also has three dogs: Arnold is a Chihuahua, Schnorbitz is a St. Bernard and Charley is a dachshund.

Taylor Janvrin, Natasha Rybakova, Natalie Litvak, Allyson Hawkins, Michelle Townsley, Bailey Shaw, Olly Szczechowski and Leah Volchok round out the roster.

Fifth- year assistant coach Julianna Bloom spent one year on the coaching staff at Viewpoint in 2013, helping the Patriots win their first section championship before rejoining the Eagles this offseason.

“We can go to CIF,” Rosenthal said. “We would love to win league.”


 

 

GO WITH THE FLOW—Oak Park’s Lily Rudnick, at left, digs the ball against Newbury Park. Olly Szczechowski, above, makes a play for the Eagles. Rudnick is a senior captain and star outside hitter for Oak Park.

GO WITH THE FLOW—Oak Park’s Lily Rudnick, at left, digs the ball against Newbury Park. Olly Szczechowski, above, makes a play for the Eagles. Rudnick is a senior captain and star outside hitter for Oak Park.

 

 

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