Orlandini named co-MVP

GLENDALE — After claiming yet another Mission League title this season, it was a logical assumption that the Flintridge Sacred Heart volleyball team would be well represented on the All-Mission League volleyball team.

Tologs setter Sam Orlandini took home the highest honor given, sharing the Mission League Most Valuable Player award with Harvard-Westlake's Audrey Eichler. The Tologs and Wolverines also shared the league crown.

The standout junior was joined by first-team selections Julie Herrera and Katie Condon, and second-team selections Ali Anderson and Aly Crea.

"It means so much to me," Orlandini, a two-time first-team selection, said of the MVP honor. "It was a huge shock when I got it, I was not expecting it at all.

"It's just a great feeling."

Orlandini recorded totals of 981 assists, 195 digs, 66 kills and 36 aces, while leading the Tologs to the CIF Southern Section Division I-A semifinals and a 28-6 record.

"I was happy that [Sam] was just in the running for [MVP] because Audrey Eichler is a very good player," said Tologs Coach Shelli Orlandini, who is Sam's mother. "The other coaches recognized that without her our team would not have finished 9-1 [in league].

"To me a complete MVP is somebody that contributes not only for offense, but on defense and serves well and leads her team, and Samantha did all of those."

Julie Herrera, last year's Mission League MVP, was named to the first team, following what may have been her toughest campaign. The senior outside hitter played in every game for the Tologs this year while coping with a thumb injury sustained early in the year.

"You could tell by watching her play that she wasn't 100%, but she was giving 100% of what she could," Coach Orlandini said.

Herrera was also the All-Area Player of the Year last season.

"There was a lot of pressure for me to live up to the expectations of what I did last year," Herrera said. "I wasn't going to play for a lot of the season so I could get better, but then I realized that even though I couldn't play 100%, I should lead my team in other ways by being a positive aspect on the court and helping everyone when they were down."

Junior Katie Condon earned her first selection to the first team, while playing opposite Herrera at outside hitter.

"Because Julie was hurt, Katie was our go-to girl a lot of the time and there was a lot of pressure put on her shoulders," Coach Orlandini said. "She just stepped up to the plate and had some amazing matches."

Anderson earned All-League honors for the first time as a second-team selection after showcasing her strong defensive skills at middle blocker. Crea, a senior libero, was named to the second team for the second year in a row.

With five All-League selections, Sacred Heart tied with Harvard-Westlake for the highest number of selections.