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  • The Register's 2014 All-County girls volleyball team for 2014. Back...

    The Register's 2014 All-County girls volleyball team for 2014. Back row, left to right: Katie Craig (Corona del Mar), Lindsey Ruddins (Aliso Niguel), Payton Carter (Corona del Mar) and Payton Chang (Mater Dei). Front row, left to right: Alyse Ford (Mater Dei), Peyton Grahovac (Villa Park), Brittany Welsh (Mater Dei) and Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Niguel).

  • The Register's 2014 All-County girls volleyball team for 2014. Back...

    The Register's 2014 All-County girls volleyball team for 2014. Back row, left to right: Katie Craig (Corona del Mar), Lindsey Ruddins (Aliso Niguel), Payton Carter (Corona del Mar) and Payton Chang (Mater Dei). Front row, left to right: Alyse Ford (Mater Dei), Peyton Grahovac (Villa Park), Brittany Welsh (Mater Dei) and Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Niguel).

  • The Register's 2014 All-county girls volleyball team takes advantage of...

    The Register's 2014 All-county girls volleyball team takes advantage of a break during their photo session to spend some quality time with their cell phones. Back row, left to right: Katie Craig (Corona del Mar), Payton Carter (Corona del Mar), Lindsey Ruddins (Aliso Niguel) and Payton Chang (Mater Dei). Front row, left to right: Alyse Ford (Mater Dei), Peyton Grahovac (Villa Park), Brittany Welsh (Mater Dei) and Kathryn Plummer (Aliso Niguel).

  • Aliso Niguel's Lindsey Ruddins is the Register's 2014 girls volleyball...

    Aliso Niguel's Lindsey Ruddins is the Register's 2014 girls volleyball player of the year.

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Damian Calhoun. Sports Newsroom Assistant.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 24, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The CIF-SS title was quickly slipping away from the Aliso Niguel girls volleyball team.

The Wolverines, who had lost just five sets all season, dropped the first two against Santiago of Corona in the Division 1A final.

That’s when senior outside hitter Lindsey Ruddins challenged her teammates to fight for what they wanted, what they had worked so hard for all season.

“In the huddle after the second game, Lindsey told the girls we didn’t come here to lose,” Aliso Niguel coach DP Butler said. “We didn’t set our goals this season to be in this position. We’re here for a reason, let’s finish it.”

The Wolverines won the next three sets to clinch their first section title, and Ruddins led the way with 27 kills and 18 digs.

For her leadership qualities during that difficult moment and throughout the entire season, Ruddins is the Register’s girls volleyball player of the year.

“She’s grown a lot, not only talent-wise, but also mentally,” Butler said. “She’s matured a lot. I gave her a lot of leadership duties, and there was never a time when she was out of it. She was always there and never let the team down.”

This was Ruddins’ third year at the varsity level.

“The past two years with Lindsey have been great,” junior Kathryn Plummer said. “The first year we were trying to figure out our roles, but the past two have been absolutely great.”

Plummer said Ruddins set the tone in the team’s practices.

“She strives for perfection,” Plummer said. “She doesn’t slack off and holds everyone accountable.”

Ruddins, who is headed to UC Santa Barbara in the fall, had a stellar season. She recorded 452 kills, 51 total blocks and 141 digs. She had a kill percentage of 59.1 percent and a hitting percentage of .484.

Her greatest achievement might have been in helping create a family atmosphere in the program.

“Our chemistry is really strong on our team,” Ruddins said. “We had to hold each other accountable for everything. Our team is super close, so I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without my teammates and learning from everyone.”

She recalls joining the varsity team as a sophomore and being forced to adjust quickly.

“It was difficult,” she said. “It was definitely harder than what I had been playing at. It was interesting playing with older girls, but they were older and helpful and taught me a lot.”

She said she tried to pass along what she learned then to this year’s current group of players.

“She’s a great teammate,” Plummer said. “She leads our team and she gets the job done when we need her.”

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com