Sports
Third-Ranked Mustangs Fall Flat in Opening Loss
After strong showing at prestigious tournament in Hawaii, the Mira Costa girls volleyball team starts its season by falling in three sets to fourth-ranked Edison.
Mira Costa High needed to play its best game on Thursday against Huntington Beach Edison, which is just one spot behind them in the CIF Southern Section girls volleyball rankings.
But the third-ranked Mustangs came out flat, playing without much fire and making multiple errors throughout the match, and fell in three sets.
Coach Lisa Arce Zimmerman said this is what most of the Mustangs' preseason has looked like. The team just returned from the prestigious Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii, where they finished 5-2 on the weekend. The team rallied to take down rival Los Alamitos but was defeated by a strong Taiwanese National Team.
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"We were able to work through some things and see what we needed to work on moving forward," Zimmerman said. "We just got wiped by that Taiwan team on the pool play game, so it was nice to come out and take it to Los Al and put them in the back seat."
The preseason tournament was important for Zimmerman to see what the team could do in terms of performing and bringing along the younger players.
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"It was nice to see that aggressiveness, and it was a good bonding experience. We have a solid base to build on, now we need to just keep improving," she said.
Coming into the match against Edison, she was hoping for the kinks to be out already and some good volleyball to be played. Yet it was a night of errors and miscommunication for the Mustangs.
"The load was tough tonight for some of these leaders. They have to play well and help their team, so it's a lot,'' Zimmerman said. ''For some reason this is the second year we've come out and we have not played well in the match to start the season. We were hoping Hawaii would help that, but it didn't so we're excited to keep working and get out to Marymount next week and change the pattern."
With a young sophomore setter, Corie Bain, much of that will be on the shoulders of Andi Zbojniewicz, Jace Pardon, Maddy Klineman, and Mandy Smith.
Costa heads to Marymount for a match on Tuesday, Sept. 14, and during the regular season also will compete in three national tournaments. The events in Torrey Pines, Durango and Santa Barbara all host top ranked teams for weekends of tough competition.
"No matter who we are, we try and play the best and be the best. They want to be the underdog for once, and get used to the fight," Zimmerman said.
