TVL is as tough as nails

Oaks Christian, Oak Park and La Reina netters ranked in CIF


JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EAGLE UP—Oak Park High’s Hayley Verner sets a return while teammate Kayla Smith looks on during a match against La Reina.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EAGLE UP—Oak Park High’s Hayley Verner sets a return while teammate Kayla Smith looks on during a match against La Reina.

Talk about a jambalaya, chowder, chili, matzo ball soup hodgepodge at the top of the TriValley League girls’ volleyball standings.

La Reina, St. Bonaventure, Oak Park and Oaks Christian are all ranked in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2-A poll.

Actually, they’re all positioned together like ducks in the poll at fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

In the first round of league action, Oak Park beat Oaks Christian, Oaks Christian beat La Reina and La Reina beat Oak Park.

Got it?

“The league is very balanced,” Eagles head coach Patrick Quinn said. “It depends on which team shows up on any given night.”

Players certainly enjoy the challenges.

“Competition makes the sport more fun,” said Madeline Rumer, a senior middle blocker for La Reina.

The No. 4 Regents are a fast, defense-oriented squad led by a super sophomore, Katherine Workman.

A 6-foot outside hitter, Workman led the state in kills per game among sophomores as of last week, according to La Reina head coach Don Hyatt.

Entering this week, Workman had 285 kills. She also leads the team in passing and digs.

She set a school record for kills by an outside hitter with 373 as a freshman, a mark she will likely eclipse this season.

“She’s got everything,” Hyatt said. “She’s got great vertical ability. When she plays aggressive, she pretty much doesn’t get stopped. She only stops herself. She’s phenomenal.”

Workman said she enjoys playing for a team that she hopes will remain competitive in the strong Tri-Valley League.

“I think it’s going really well,” she said. “I think we’re a pretty well-rounded team.”

Setter Kristin Wendel, outside hitter/opposite Sara Anselmo and middle blockers Sarah Hardy and Rumer have all played exceptionally well for La Reina.

Wendel, a quick junior with solid hands and a dangerous jump serve, missed half of 2008 with a knee injury.

Anselmo’s confidence is growing, and she has solid statistics in kills, digs and passes, the coach said.

Hyatt said Rumer is “arguably the best middle blocker in the division.”

“When we’re on top of our game, we can win anything,” Hardy said. “We have a lot of faith in each other.”

Led by a row of strong middle blockers and a maturing outside hitter, Oak Park also hopes to contend for a league title and make a strong playoff run.

Although they block well, the sixth-ranked Eagles need to improve consistency in passing, hitting and serving, Quinn said.

Junior Rachel Gam played middle blocker for two seasons at Oak Park before moving to outside hitter, a position she hopes to play at the Division I level in college.

Quinn calls Gam his go-to hitter.

“She’s a very hard worker,” Quinn said of his outside hitter.

“She’s hitting the ball much harder than she has in years past. . . . She still has a ways to go as far as athleticism and her allaround game.”

Gam’s jump serve has become a valuable weapon for the Eagles, and her passing has improved.

Libero Kielie Tamiyasu is a fast, hard-nosed player who isn’t afraid to dive for any loose ball.

“She can make a tough play,” Quinn said.

Senior Lauren Varney has developed into Oak Park’s top setter.

“She’s worked hard and she’s playing pretty good,” the coach said. “When she goes hard, she’s very effective.”

Rachael Band, an opposite, has hit the ball well and is second on the Eagles with 99 kills. Gam paces the Eagles in that category with 141 entering the week.

Fourth-year head coach George Hees has Oaks Christian in the mix for a Tri-Valley League championship.

“I like the competition in our league,” Hees said. “I think it will help us out in the long run when it comes to the playoffs.

“This group of girls has been the hardest working group I’ve ever had. They want to improve. They want to go out and win the big games.”

The Lions are led by senior setter Kim Koros.

“She’s very consistent,” the coach said of Koros. “She’s a great leader.”

Junior outside hitters Tara Robinson and Christina Nelson provide punch for Oaks Christian. Hees said they’ve been accumulating kills and playing solid defense.

Michelle Boskovich, a 6-foot3 junior, is a formidable defensive presence at middle blocker.

Shayne Kybartas, Koros and Robinson are all captains.

“We’re a good defensive team, and I think we’re well balanced,” Hees said. “I trust the front row to get the kill. And they want to get that kill in a big situation.

“I’d like us to work on our mental toughness, being able to play games on the road and being able to battle through entire matches.”

After the top four TVL teams, there’s a big drop-off in talent.

Malibu, Bishop Diego and Carpinteria are all under .500 and struggle to compete with the league’s elite.

Nobody knows how the final league standings or playoffs will develop, but La Reina, Oak Park and Oaks Christian know they have to play well to win.

“The first round of league taught us that you have to come ready for all these games,” Hees said.

“I feel like we have the talent to do well in our league. We have to make sure we stay motivated and prepared for all of our matches.”

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