Libero

When the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy volleyball team takes the court to face Harvard-Westlake in today’s CIF Southern Section Division I-A final match, the Tologs will be one victory away from proving that defense does indeed win championships. “This is the best defensive team we’ve had in a long time,” says third-year Sacred Heart Coach Shelli Orlandini, whose squad has seen its season end in the semifinal round the last two years. “Last year, I thought we had a pretty solid defense.

School started on Tuesday and without skipping a beat, the Flintridge Sacred Heart girls’ volleyball team was already in the gym, practicing at 3 p.m. Enthusiasm is a must. Coach Shelley Orlandini, who is entering her fourth year, has declared a ban on lazy behavior, punishable by running a lap, though she rarely uses such discipline as most of the girls are already “chattering up” and high fiving each other. Most are even smiling while practicing and looking like they’re having a good time while staying focused.

Edmund Chow’s season on the hardwood begins in early winter and continues well into the spring. With the standard the Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball team has set for deep CIF Southern Section Division V playoff runs in recent years, its often much closer to summer before Chow’s work in the gymnasium is done. Over his four years at Prep, Chow has risen to an All-CIF level basketball player as the school’s point guard, but he continues to entertain raucous crowds at big games in the school’s gym long after hoops season is over, having developed into one of the top volleyball players in the at Prep, as well.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - Practices have been vigorous for the members of the Glendale Community College women's volleyball team leading up to their season opener. Already faced with meeting two-time defending state champion L.A. Pierce in a pair of Western State Conference South Division matches and playing a difficult nonconference schedule, Glendale college Coach Yvette Ybarra said she'd like for the Vaqueros to be up to speed before they begin their season at 3 p.m. Aug. 31 against Santa Barbara City College in the Pasadena City College Quad Tournament.

GLENDALE — An impressive streak of four consecutive Mission League titles came to an end for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls’ volleyball team this season, as the Tologs were upended by Harvard-Westlake. Despite falling from the top spot, Sacred Heart (28-6) remained a top-tier force in the competitive league, going 8-2 for second place, with its only league losses coming at the hands of the CIF Southern Section Division I-AA champion Wolverines. Five Tologs earned spots on the All-Mission League team for their performance this season, highlighted by the second consecutive co-Most Valuable Player honor for senior setter Sam Orlandini.

Editor's note: Doug English, who graduated from Crescenta Valley High in 1999, began trying out for the U.S. World University Games team in Colorado Springs, Colo., on June 27. First of all, I would like to explain what a "libero" is. I guess there have been some questions about it. So here is my best explanation, and I hope it clears things up. Basically, I am a defensive specialist. In high school, I would be the short guy subbing in for the tall guy to play in the back row. But internationally and collegiately, there is a limit to the number of times a player can come in and out of the game.

Normally, it would be a burden for a team to lose its best player to graduation. Fortunately for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy volleyball team, it has plenty of veterans who have multiple years of experience competing at the varsity level. The Tologs lost standout Camille Coffey, who led the team with 241 kills and added 162 digs en route to being named the All-Area Player of the Year and the Mission League's co-Most Valuable Player last season. However, in an effort to fill the large void left by her departure, the Tologs have players capable of filling in where needed across the court.

GLENDALE ? In their first years as the starting setter and outside hitter, respectively, for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls? volleyball team, Jenna Orlandini and Camille Coffey had some big shoes to fill and the weight of a proud winning tradition to uphold. Tologs Coach Shelli Orlandini said that both girls lived up to the high hopes and expectations placed upon them when the 2008 season began, an achievement recognized by the rest of the coaches of the Mission League, who voted the duo to the all-league first team.

Flintridge Prep lost to Westridge on Tuesday, but that was to be expected. After a few foul-ups and miscommunications by Prep cost them the first game, 12-25, it looked like Westridge was going to sweep easily. ?We did not look good in that first game,? Prep Coach Sean Beattie said, who went on to say that a few of the girls were playing in the first game and playing nervous. ?We were shanking balls hit right at us and overpassing. But after the end of the first, I said, ?Hey, relax.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - The Glendale College women's volleyball team overcame a feisty Ventura College defense to win its first match of the season. And with the Lady Vaqueros playing in the San Diego Mesa Tourney this coming weekend, GCC Coach Yvette Ybarra felt good about the squad traveling on a high note. “It's a relief,” Ybarra said after the 25-16, 25-19, 25-21 home victory Wednesday night. “We needed that going into this weekend's tournament. It's a confidence thing at this point.” After taking an early 5-4 lead in the first game, Glendale (1-5)

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - The Glendale College women's volleyball team overcame a feisty Ventura College defense to win its first match of the season. And with the Lady Vaqueros playing in the San Diego Mesa Tourney this coming weekend, GCC Coach Yvette Ybarra felt good about the squad traveling on a high note. “It's a relief,” Ybarra said after the 25-16, 25-19, 25-21 home victory Wednesday night. “We needed that going into this weekend's tournament. It's a confidence thing at this point.” After taking an early 5-4 lead in the first game, Glendale (1-5)

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - Practices have been vigorous for the members of the Glendale Community College women's volleyball team leading up to their season opener. Already faced with meeting two-time defending state champion L.A. Pierce in a pair of Western State Conference South Division matches and playing a difficult nonconference schedule, Glendale college Coach Yvette Ybarra said she'd like for the Vaqueros to be up to speed before they begin their season at 3 p.m. Aug. 31 against Santa Barbara City College in the Pasadena City College Quad Tournament.

Normally, it would be a burden for a team to lose its best player to graduation. Fortunately for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy volleyball team, it has plenty of veterans who have multiple years of experience competing at the varsity level. The Tologs lost standout Camille Coffey, who led the team with 241 kills and added 162 digs en route to being named the All-Area Player of the Year and the Mission League's co-Most Valuable Player last season. However, in an effort to fill the large void left by her departure, the Tologs have players capable of filling in where needed across the court.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level. Jenna Orlandini (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2009) Washington redshirt freshman libero/defensive specialist : Getting her first taste of NCAA Division I volleyball, the former Tologs standout has fared well, as have her Huskies. The Huskies, ranked No. 8 in the country, are 2-0 with easy sweeps of Mercer and Eastern Washington on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Orlandini played in all six sets.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Though the Glendale Community College women's volleyball team had a winning record last season, there's no point in looking back. While the returning members of the team won't lose sight of that accomplishment, there's still the matter at hand of looking ahead to the upcoming season. "It's time to look and see where we are at," said Glendale college eighth-year Coach Yvette Ybarra, whose team will tip off its season Friday with a pair of matches at the Pasadena City College Quad Tournament.

Edmund Chow’s season on the hardwood begins in early winter and continues well into the spring. With the standard the Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball team has set for deep CIF Southern Section Division V playoff runs in recent years, its often much closer to summer before Chow’s work in the gymnasium is done. Over his four years at Prep, Chow has risen to an All-CIF level basketball player as the school’s point guard, but he continues to entertain raucous crowds at big games in the school’s gym long after hoops season is over, having developed into one of the top volleyball players in the at Prep, as well.

GLENDALE — Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball Coach Sean Beattie has never been afraid to assign his best players a new position for the greater good of the team. His track record with such experiments is hard to argue with, especially considering that last year’s shuffled lineup advanced all the way to the CIF Southern Section Division V semifinals. Beattie might have to get creative again this season, as the Rebels return just two starters and will be trying some new things to best accommodate an influx of new players.

GLENDALE ? In their first years as the starting setter and outside hitter, respectively, for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls? volleyball team, Jenna Orlandini and Camille Coffey had some big shoes to fill and the weight of a proud winning tradition to uphold. Tologs Coach Shelli Orlandini said that both girls lived up to the high hopes and expectations placed upon them when the 2008 season began, an achievement recognized by the rest of the coaches of the Mission League, who voted the duo to the all-league first team.

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — It hasn’t been the best of weeks for the Holy Family volleyball team. On Tuesday, the Gaels fell to rival Alverno in a crucial Horizon League contest. On Wednesday, Holy Family Coach Michael Godoy stepped down. Fortunately for the Gaels, fortunes turned for the better by the simple nature of their schedule on Thursday, as they swept San Gabriel Mission, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20 in a home league match at Maple Park. “It was devastating for some of us,” said Holy Family senior libero Racquel Valenzuela.

Flintridge Prep lost to Westridge on Tuesday, but that was to be expected. After a few foul-ups and miscommunications by Prep cost them the first game, 12-25, it looked like Westridge was going to sweep easily. ?We did not look good in that first game,? Prep Coach Sean Beattie said, who went on to say that a few of the girls were playing in the first game and playing nervous. ?We were shanking balls hit right at us and overpassing. But after the end of the first, I said, ?Hey, relax.