Sailing Along

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

It should come as no surprise to anyone who follows Marymount High’s volleyball program that the Sailors are playing for the Southern Section Division I championship Saturday night at Cerritos College.

Palisadian Cari Klein has built the tiny all-girls Catholic school across the street from UCLA into one of the top programs in the country and this year the Sailors won their 19th consecutive league title—the longest active streak and second-longest in section history—with the help of six local players: defensive specialist/liberos Caroline Douglas (a senior), Adelaide Edwards and Sophia Globe (both juniors); junior opposite hitter Ava O’Connor; freshman  outside hitter and freshman middle blocker Kerry Keefe.

Since Klein took the reigns in 1998, the Sailors have captured nine Southern Section titles, five Southern California Regional crowns and six state championships. Having upset No. 2 Redondo Union in the semifinals last Saturday, the Sailors get another crack at top-seeded Mater Dei, which beat Marymount in the section and regional finals last year.    

Klein also runs Sunshine Volleyball, one of the nation’s most successful club programs and talent feeder for Marymount.

“I’m prepared for this level through club so the transition wasn’t too hard,” said Rubin, who led St. Matthew’s School to three straight league titles and will play for Sunshine’s 16-1s this year.

“All of us Palisades girls carpool to practice every day at 5 a.m. and we’re here until 5 p.m.,” added Keefe, who went to Corpus Christi and whose older sisters Caitlin and Michaela preceded her at Marymount and now play for  Stanford. “This is such a great program and I knew I’d have to fight for a spot. I’m normally a right side hitter but this year I’m playing middle because it’s where they need me. It’s tough, but we all get through it together.”

Douglas, who lives in the Huntington and has committed to Penn, also comes from a volleyball family. Her older sister Lauren played at Marymount and now plays for Dartmouth while older brother Matt starred at Loyola High and is now a setter at USC.     

Klein  played volleyball at Irvine High, leading the Vaqueros to the state title and being named California Player of the Year in 1988. She went on to play at Pepperdine. She is married to Perry Klein, who quarterbacked the Palisades High football team to the City Section 3A championship game in 1987.