Dream Team

Bryce Alderton

From the middle to the outside to anywhere on the court, Newport

Harbor High senior Alyson Jennings had it covered.

The setter and outside hitter on Newport’s 2003 girls volleyball

team completed her prep career in style, being named Sea View League

Player of the Year after leading the Tars to the CIF Southern Section

Division II-AA final and then to the quarterfinals of the CIF State

Division II championships.

The University of Texas signee is a repeat Dream Team honoree and

tops this season’s Newport-Mesa squad as Player of the Year.

Joining Jennings on the eight-player team are Newport teammates

Lauren Miller and Emily Turner, the only other seniors in addition to

Jennings, Corona del Mar’s Jordan Smith and Lindsey Ensign, Costa

Mesa’s Jackie Havens and Sage Hill’s Catherine Dailey and Sophia

Hillgren.

Jennings made the CIF Division II first team for a second

consecutive year as Newport won at least a share of its 10th league

title in the last 11 years.

“She does a lot of different things and that is the best thing

about her,” said Newport Coach Dan Glenn, who has guided Jennings for

four varsity seasons.

Glenn said Jennings, a repeat first-team all-league selection,

resembles Tar standouts Misty May and April Ross more than Kristin

McClune, the CIF Division II Co-Player of the Year in 2002 who is now

at Pepperdine University.

“Alyson is not as physical as [May and Ross] but she is in that

mold,” Glenn said.

Newport senior outside hitter Lauren Miller, also a repeat Dream

Team selection, fought through tendinitis in the knees at the

beginning of the season to steadily progress and earned first-team

All-CIF recognition. Miller, a repeat first-team all-league honoree,

tallied a team-high 16 kills and four service aces in a five-game

victory against Edison in the Division II-AA semifinals.

Glenn used Miller at middle blocker at the beginning of the season

to add some height -- she is 5-foot-11 -- but moved her back outside

toward the end of the season.

Miller, a two-year varsity starter, began serving 15 feet behind

the service line in the preseason and found a groove, making it

difficult, at times, for opposing teams to return the ball.

“I try to have kids do different things and she was real effective

back there,” Glenn said. “There is more time for the opponent to

think, which can disrupt the rhythm.”

Another outside hitter that caused havoc for opposing teams to

defend was Corona del Mar’s Jordan Smith, a repeat Dream Team

selection and three-year varsity member. She earned her second

consecutive first-team All-Pacific Coast League honor as the Sea

Kings’ main weapon on the blocks.

Smith, a junior, was named CdM’s Most Valuable Player and also

earned second-team All-CIF recognition in Division III for the second

straight year. She finished the season fourth in the county in digs

with 304 and seventh in kills (274).

“Jordan is one the best passers and diggers not just in [CIF]

Division III, but in the state,” CdM Coach Bill Christiansen said.

The Sea Kings (21-10) reached the Division III-A final and the

first round of the CIF State Division III tournament.

Junior middle blocker Lindsey Ensign, in her third varsity season,

showed her versatility by earning repeat first-team All-PCL status

and first-team All-CIF recognition.

Ensign led CdM in kills and saw time in the back row for the first

time in her career.

“She is explosive and quick, a phenomenal natural athlete,”

Christiansen said.

Ensign displayed sound defense when she finished with a team-high

15 digs in a three-game sweep of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in the CIF

Division III-A semifinals.

She finished 17th in the county in digs, Christiansen said.

Turner, like Miller, began the season facing stiff tendinitis in

the knees, forcing Glenn to start her in the back row before

returning to outside hitter.

Turner, a three-year varsity member, earned first-team all-league

laurels.

“She can play different positions, which makes her a good player,”

Glenn said.

Havens, named Mesa’s MVP, was the Mustangs’ most consistent

server, hitter and setter, according to Coach Allison Salladin.

“I needed her setting and passing because I don’t have anyone else

that can do what she does,” Salladin said. “Jackie does it all.”

Havens, in her third varsity season, played outside hitter and

middle blocker en route to earning first-team All-Golden West League

honors.

Mesa (8-7, 8-4 in league) placed third in league and reached the

first round of the CIF playoffs.

Sage Hill sophomores Sophia Hillgren and Cat Dailey were a major

reason why the Lightning (9-8) advanced to the Division V playoffs

for the first time, advancing to the second round.

Hillgren and Dailey, both 5-10 outside hitters, were selected to

the All-Academy League first-team after earning second-team laurels

in 2002.

“They are both great players,” said Sage Hill Coach Ingrid

Gustavson, voted the league’s Coach of the Year. “Cat had the highest

kill percentage (53%) and is a great blocker. Sophia aced 17% of her

serves.”

Dailey also saw time at middle blocker, even though outside hitter

is her normal position.

Both Hillgren and Dailey are two-year varsity starters.