LJ g beach VB 4, Clairemont 1- 4/21 game story

By Ed Piper

The regular-season completion of the first CIF-sanctioned girls beach volleyball season broke out as a sun-splashed, celebratory afternoon on Clairemont's new(er) volleyball courts at the back of campus.

The competition Thurs., April 21 showed a host Chieftain team of five varsity pairs hopeful and game in attacking the visiting Vikings, who brought experience and training in high school's newest sport.

What a dramatic contrast from the previous week's wind-torrent conditions at La Jolla Shores versus Country Day for Coach Kelly Drobeck's squad, when volleys between teams were reduced to serve-bump-stop as the air currents at the beach killed any kind of continuous play (and any photos of spikes at the net!).

The Viking number-three duo, Kira Shepanski and Katie Murray, took court number two (of two) in the boxed sand area at 4:15 p.m. They played hard, but took a loss to their Clairemont counterparts--which led to a loud whoop from the Chieftain JV players and other varsity players waiting their turn.

From then on, La Jolla dominated: Kian Wurtz and partner Jenna Drobeck, the Vikings' number-one, won. At 4:55, number-two Lindsay Laumann and Tahlia Zadeyan began their march to a victory.

At 5:10, Kenan Thomas and Maya Mitchell, sent out as the number-two pair, kicked off. Then, later, number-five Leila Laumann, Lindsay's sister, and Grayson Lejuwaan completed the four-of-five near-sweep and conclusion of the regular-season slate.

Coach Drobeck, a key component in the girls' successful achievement over the past several years to establish girls' beach volleyball as a regular CIF sport--as well as the championship director, meaning the playoffs--has to be gratified with Thursday's conclusion and the performance of her own athletes.

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Team playoffs begin this week on Thurs., April 28. The Vikings finished third in the City Conference, out of the running for a postseason playoff spot behind first place Cathedral Catholic and second place University City.

Cathedral Catholic defeated LJ, 5-0, during league. University City beat LJ, 3-2. However, Coronado lost to LJ, 4-1. Likewise, Mission Bay (LJ won, 5-0), Scripps Ranch (LJ won, 5-0), and OLP (LJ won, 4-1). Clairemont is also in the City Conference.

The North County Conference is going to be tough to compete against in the playoffs. It includes Torrey Pines (11-0 this season overall, 8-0 in league), La Costa Canyon, San Dieguito Academy (LCC beat the Mustangs, 3-2, then two weeks later SDA beat LCC, 3-2), Canyon Crest, Westview (LCC beat Westview, 3-2), Sage Creek, Oceanside, Escondido, and San Marcos (won one game against TPHS).

Torrey Pines edged La Costa Canyon, 3-2, two weeks ago in league.