One position switch has meant a lot for the Mater Dei and Los Alamitos girls volleyball teams.
Those moves helped the teams advance to Saturday’s meeting in the CIF-SS Division 1AA final at Santiago Canyon College at 8 p.m.
For the Monarchs, Elise Zappia was shifted from the defensive specialist position to outside hitter, where she has become one of the more dependable forces in the county.
“She’s a kid that’s been overlooked by most colleges and coaches,” Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell said.
“I’ve always had a high level of expectations for her.
“She’s really smart and she doesn’t make mistakes. She’s the perfect balance to (outside hitter) Frankie (Shebby).”
Zappia held the Monarchs together while Shebby was sidelined earlier this season.
“She’s been the rock of the team,” O’Dell said.
“She approaches every day with the attitude that she’s going to learn and get better. I love having her on the team.”
After establishing herself as one of the dominant middle blockers, Los Alamitos’ Crissy Jones took on a new task, moving to outside hitter this season.
The reason for the switch was simple.
“She’s our most dynamic hitter and we have to put her in more situations to help us and on the left,” Los Alamitos coach Dave Huber said earlier this season. “She can do that.”
Jones became the primary option in the Griffins’ offense, and with that came the role of leader.
“People look up and the team looks up to me when things aren’t going so well,” she said.
“That’s a captain’s job, to make sure everyone is together and doing well.”
ACADEMY SHOWS STRENGTH
For the fourth consecutive season, two Academy League teams will meet in a CIF final.
Tonight, Sage Hill meets Crean Lutheran at Cerritos College in the 3A title match.
In 2010, St. Margaret’s defeated Brethren Christian in the 4AA final. The next year, Sage Hill edged St.Margaret’s in five sets. Last year, the league was moved up to 3A, but again two Academy teams squared off, as St. Margaret’s got its revenge against Sage Hill.
This is the first final appearance Crean Lutheran, which has nine seniors on its roster.
In the eight sets played between the teams this season, only one has been decided by more than four points.
“Their experience is certainly an asset,” Sage Hill coach Dan Thomassen said of the Saints. “In the back of my mind, I thought Crean would be the team (in the final).”
Is this the end of the Academy League streak? Probably not.
Sage Hill will return the core of its team. St.Margaret’s, which finished third in league and advanced to the quarterfinals, has only one senior on its roster.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
