The Otay Ranch High School boys volleyball team had the type of season that seems to come around only once each generation. The Mustangs won the Mesa League championship, San Diego Section Division I title and advanced to the finals of the Southern California regional championship tournament, placing runner-up to the Buchanan Bears.
Now it’s the ORHS girls volleyball team’s turn for a stab at a heroic season.
The Mustangs bring back nine players from last year’s 19-13 squad and are optimistic they will improve on their 5-5 league record.
Last year the Mustangs finished the season starting five sophomores and two freshmen against La Costa Canyon in the first round of the Division I playoffs.
Head coach James Haug, now in his fourth year, said he is “quietly optimistic” that this Mustang team could be a factor in the 2011 Mesa League championship race.
Otay Ranch will travel to Phoenix, Ariz., in October to participate in the third annual Nike Tournament of Champions for the second time since its inception. The Mustangs will also serve as a co-host for the La Jolla Beach Cities Invitational Sept. 23-24 and participate in the Hilltop varsity invitational tournament on Oct. 8 to round out their tournament season.
Top returners include junior outside hitter Carlee Wood, sophomore libero Megan Angerstein and sophomore outside hitter Skye Compton.
Wood earned Second Team All-Mesa League honors as a sophomore. She led the team with 229 kills last season and was second in digs with 281.
Angerstein was a second team all-league pick as a freshman. She led the team with 82 aces and 681 digs last season.
Compton earned second team all-league honors as a freshman. She was second on the team last season with 223 kills, 77 aces and blocks for points with 20.
Impact newcomers include junior middle blocker Alyssa Haselrig and junior outside hitter Marietoni Roshure.
Haug said Haselrig has made big strides in the off-season and is poised to make “big contributions” this season.
The ORHS coach said Roshure’s athleticism will make the team harder to score on.
