La Reina volleyball undefeated in league; looks toward playoffs

SUPER SOPHOMORE - Hailey Fithian goes for the ball in a recent La Reina volleyball match vs. Oak Park.

By Wayne Harrison

Acorn Sports Writer

The La Reina volleyball team is undefeated in Tri-Valley League play this season and is primed to win its 11th straight league championship and to contend for a CIF-Southern Section Division IV championship.

The Regents won a CIF title two years ago, in 2000, and this year’s La Reina roster features a balanced, talented corps of four seniors and three juniors and sophomores.

La Reina coach Don Hyatt said a big difference between this year’s squad and the one that made La Reina history by winning a CIF championship two years ago, was that this year’s team’s talent and contributions are spread out more evenly than two years ago.

"We can survive a bad day from one of our players this year," Hyatt said, remembering the 2000 state playoffs when Marymount –the team La Reina beat in five games for the CIF title – defeated the Regents in three straight games in the semifinals when one standout, Jennifer Ryan, had a very rare off night.

"(Jen) Ryan had a bad game and we didn’t survive that," Hyatt recalled. "We had a little too high percentage of our offense focused in one place, and then, when we had a bad night, it was tough to recover. This year, we’re real consistent all the way around and that’s what’s going to make this team successful.

"If somebody has a bad night, you’ve got five other people that can step in and really hold their own for the team," Hyatt added.

Katie Kellogg, a 5-foot-8 setter/outside hitter is a senior co-captain and Carolyn Diacos, a 6-1 middle hitter is the Regents strongest inside threat.

After being named the Ventura County Star’s Athlete of the Week a few weeks ago, the same week she was The Acorn’s Athlete of the Week, Kellogg said she appreciated the recognition but preferred to concentrate on team goals.

"It was nice, but we really have to focus on team and make sure this is a team effort," Kellogg said. "We need to be focused and not distracted."

A bit of late-season adversity that La Reina faces is the lack of playoff-intense match ups in the weeks leading up to the postseason.

"We talk at practice about how we’re going to keep pushing," Diacos said. "We have our goals in mind. We’re thinking about winning league and doing well in CIF."

After a win Tuesday, Oct. 29, at home vs. St. Bonaventure, which was co-league champion last year (2001) after splitting two league matches with La Reina, the Regents have more than two weeks to prepare for the CIF playoffs with matches vs. Bishop Diego, Oak Park and Fillmore remaining.

In the win Tuesday over St. Bonaventure, three games to one, Erica O’Connor had 23 kills, Breezy Ward had 13 kills and three aces, and Diacos had 12 kills.

The first round CIF playoff match should be at home, Thurs., Nov. 14.

"I think it would be fun to go to the CIF finals," said senior co-captain O’Connor, a 5-11 outside hitter. "I think if we keep playing like we’ve been playing, that’s a possibility. The team is looking really good. We all get along really well, we play well together, and we’re friends off the court."

Her teammates agreed that the Regents are right on schedule.

"The team is playing together really well," said Ward, a 5-11 junior outside hitter. "Nobody is trying to stand out. Nobody it trying to be the team themselves, we’re really playing together. We’re playing well all around and we’re really solid right now."

About the lack of playoff-type opponents in the latter half of the regular season, Ward added, "It’s a little bit hard, but you have to play one game at a time. Any team could win on any given day, so we’ve got to play our best every day."

Hailey Fithian, a 5-9 sophomore who plays setter and outside hitter talked about the players’ drive to stay focused on its goal of an undefeated league season and a CIF playoff run.

"I think we all have a pretty strong goal for the end of the year," Fithian said. "We want to keep our spirits up and work hard because it will pay off in the end. We all remind each other – if anyone’s slacking, we pick them right up. Every game, every practice, we want to work extra hard to reach our goals.

"Everybody’s doing their part, Fithian added. "It’s connecting really well and that’s good. We’ll be ready for playoffs for sure."

In building itself as a CIF contender, the Regents successes earlier in the season included a second-place finish at the prestigious Royal Tournament, a full day of competition that was fatiguing but rewarding.

"We were a little disappointed, but we had done very well the whole day and it was a big accomplishment," recalled Amanda Smith, a 5-7 senior who plays opposite as well as defensive specialist. "We were pretty well prepared for it and we were proud of ourselves."

In a team meeting earlier this season, Hyatt said the 2002 Regents were pleased with its team unity.

"One of the things that everybody brought up is how much they enjoy everyone else on the team," he said. "And how much they all get along together. It’s a real good group that way. They can have problems, they can deal with it, put it aside and move forward. With certain teams you can’t always do that."