by Paul Teetor
The Mira Costa girls volleyball team capped off an unbeaten Bay League season Thursday night with yet another beatdown of archrival Redondo.
Moments before the first jump serve started the match, the packed house at Fisher Gymnasium – well, it was standing room only on the Costa side, not so much on the Redondo side – gave a standing ovation to 2020 Olympic Gold Medal Beach Volleyball champion Alix Klineman, who was there to witness one of the best Mustang teams since she led her team to four consecutive state titles from 2004 to 2007, and two consecutive national championships in her junior and senior years.
After the 3-1 victory, the crowd gave a standing ovation to the entire Mustang team, as they launched their journey towards a possible state title with a resounding win over a gritty-but-overmatched Redondo team.
Moments after the 25-18, 25-19, 24-26, 25-15 win, a smiling Mira Costa Coach Cam Green had a problem, but it was the kind of problem any coach would love to have: choosing between two great players in junior setter Charlie Fuerbringer and senior opposite Tanon Rosenthal.
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“Well, I guess Charlie was our MVP tonight, and I’m going to tell her that when I get a chance,” Green said. “But Tanon was just as amazing for us.”
Indeed, Green said he was proud of all his players.
“What a great group we have here,” he said. “To come through such a tough league as the Bay League undefeated is really special. This team is great because other people besides Charlie and Tanon can step up at any moment, on any play, and pull us through.”
The Mustangs finished their Bay League season with an unblemished 10-0 record and were 33-4 for the entire season. Redondo, meanwhile, finished third in the Bay League, behind both Costa and Palos Verdes, and had a 25-12 overall record.
In a statistical oddity, Redondo jumped out to an early lead in each of the first three games. But in game one the Mustangs came roaring back to take a 7-3 lead, forcing Redondo to call a timeout.
Still, there was little the Sea Hawks could do about the all-court brilliance of Fuerbringer – who piled up kills and digs along with her stellar setting – and the raw power of Rosenthal, whose serves consistently found the back line and both corners, overwhelming Redondo’s liberos.
Costa expanded its lead to 22-13 when Bryn Shankle leaped high for a monster block that drew the frenzied home crowd to its feet yet again. As she did all night, outside hitter Drew Wright feasted on Fuerbringer’s precise sets and hammered home the final point in the 25-18 win.
The second set provided the most drama of the night. The resilient Redondo squad jumped out to an 8-4 lead, forcing Costa coach Green to call a timeout. With outside hitter Erin Inskeep serving beautifully and accurately, the Mustangs clawed back to claim a 12-11 lead.
Later in the game, with Rosenthal serving Scud Missiles, Costa surged to a 21-15 lead and then closed it out at 25-19.
The third game was Redondo’s pride game: they may not be the better beach city team this year, but they’re still a proud program that will never quit on veteran Coach Tommy Chaffins. The two teams battled evenly all the way to 18-18, when Redondo finally got its nose in front 19-18. The Sea Hawks led the rest of the way until Costa tied it at 24-24 behind some powerful serving by Fuerbringer. But in the end the Sea Hawks refused to fold and took the last two points for a hard-fought 26-24 win
However, after digging deep and giving all they had in that third set, Redondo was unable to keep the pressure up on the Mustangs in the fourth set. Costa raced out to a 7-3 lead, forcing a Redondo time out.
But this time there was no let up, and soon the score was 22-10 for the Mustangs. Redondo staged a mini-rally and got it back to 24-15, but that was their last gasp.
After the match was over, Green said he had great respect for the Redondo program and looked ahead to the CIF playoffs, which start Wednesday.
“We might have to play Redondo again,” he said. “It could easily happen.”
For the rivalry’s sake, let’s hope so.
Contact: teetor.paul@gmail.com. Follow: @paulteetor. ER
