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Hooting in Hope Ranch
A hot spot for volleyball this season is Laguna Blanca School’s Merovick Gymnasium, aka the Owls’ Nest. Residing there is the No. 1–ranked CIF Division 6 girls team. The Owls are 14-1, and their victories include three-game sweeps of Santa Barbara High and San Marcos.
“We’re thankful those schools put us on their schedule,” said Jason Donnelly, volleyball coach and athletic director at the private Hope Ranch school.
Laguna Blanca’s success is no surprise. Several key players return from the team that last year went 26-8 and notched the CIF Southern Section Division 4AA championship. The Owls also won the State Southern Regional title and played for the State Championship against Notre Dame Belmont. Their loss in the finale was more sweet than bitter.
“I realized that team was better,” said Kelly Bickett ’18, the Owls’ junior setter. “We made them win their points. I was content when the match was over. We came a long way from my freshman year when we just got destroyed in the first round of the playoffs.”
“We did not roll over,” said hitter Laurel Kujan ’18, who is committed to play sand volleyball at USC. “This year, we’re going far.”
Donnelly said, “There’s no complacency in the girls. They have team chemistry that’s carried over from last year. They like each other and care about each other.”
During their recent match at San Marcos, classmates of the Owls chanted in rhythm when they returned serves: “Bump. Set. Destroy!” Yet the team impresses more with its ball control and finesse than with power.
“We are not going to out-physical anybody,” Donnelly said.
Their confidence was not shaken by their only loss this season, to Oaks Christian. “You need the feel of losing to want to win,” Bickett said. Shortly later at San Marcos, the Owls won the first two sets by scores of 26-24 — fighting off four match points after trailing 24-20 in the second — and finished off the sweep, 25-17.
Laguna Blanca hosts Providence in a Condor League match Friday night, October 14. Looming on October 25 is a nonleague match at Dos Pueblos, an opportunity for the Owls to call themselves city champions. They have already beaten DP, 25-20, in the final game of Laguna Blanca’s tournament.
“That was just one set,” said Maddy Nicolson ’17, the only senior on the team. “We need to win the real deal.”
Reprinted from Santa Barbara Independent.
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“We’re thankful those schools put us on their schedule,” said Jason Donnelly, volleyball coach and athletic director at the private Hope Ranch school.
Laguna Blanca’s success is no surprise. Several key players return from the team that last year went 26-8 and notched the CIF Southern Section Division 4AA championship. The Owls also won the State Southern Regional title and played for the State Championship against Notre Dame Belmont. Their loss in the finale was more sweet than bitter.
“I realized that team was better,” said Kelly Bickett ’18, the Owls’ junior setter. “We made them win their points. I was content when the match was over. We came a long way from my freshman year when we just got destroyed in the first round of the playoffs.”
“We did not roll over,” said hitter Laurel Kujan ’18, who is committed to play sand volleyball at USC. “This year, we’re going far.”
Donnelly said, “There’s no complacency in the girls. They have team chemistry that’s carried over from last year. They like each other and care about each other.”
During their recent match at San Marcos, classmates of the Owls chanted in rhythm when they returned serves: “Bump. Set. Destroy!” Yet the team impresses more with its ball control and finesse than with power.
“We are not going to out-physical anybody,” Donnelly said.
Their confidence was not shaken by their only loss this season, to Oaks Christian. “You need the feel of losing to want to win,” Bickett said. Shortly later at San Marcos, the Owls won the first two sets by scores of 26-24 — fighting off four match points after trailing 24-20 in the second — and finished off the sweep, 25-17.
Laguna Blanca hosts Providence in a Condor League match Friday night, October 14. Looming on October 25 is a nonleague match at Dos Pueblos, an opportunity for the Owls to call themselves city champions. They have already beaten DP, 25-20, in the final game of Laguna Blanca’s tournament.
“That was just one set,” said Maddy Nicolson ’17, the only senior on the team. “We need to win the real deal.”
Reprinted from Santa Barbara Independent.
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Laguna Blanca is Santa Barbara’s premier private, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students in Early Kindergarten through Grade 12.