Girls volleyball is underway for their 45th season since CIF began sponsorship of their playoffs and the 2016 editions may feature the youngest starting lineup since 2005. Carson Tanner becomes the 13th different head coach in the CIF era and takes over a program that has won 11 straight league titles and enters the 2016 season with a 100 consecutive league match win streak. Breakers have qualified for the playoffs 42 of the 44 past seasons including the past 12.
This past weekend, the Breakers competed in the 64-team Queens Court tournament at the ASC in Anaheim going 6-3 in matches played. As expected junior Lexi McKeown is the strongest hitter, but also contributing were a number of talented freshmen: Cambria Hall (opposite), Soren Patchell (setter), Peri Brennan (setter), Gretchen Webb (opposite) and Hallie Carballo (outside hitter). The deep freshmen class carried over to the JV squad coached by Joey Pillon, where the team finished tied for third with Corona del Mar out of 32 teams entered. The frosh-soph team also participated at Queens Court, finishing seventh out of 24 teams entered.
Up next for Laguna was the scrimmage contest on Aug. 25 with San Clemente with the first regular season match at Corona del Mar on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The Mohs Orange County tournament follows on Sept. 9 & 10.
No division pre-season CIF polls were released this year. Breakers are in the 34-team Division 2 this season, the second highest of the 10 playoff divisions. Top teams appear to be Beckman, Temecula Valley, Orange Lutheran, and Chino Hills
Good Luck Coach Tanner. I hope you all have a great season. My name is Matt Lara, class of 1974. I too am a Volleyball coach now residing in coastal North Carolina. Go Breakers!