Spikers Take Aim at City Title

The Palisades High girls volleyball team has plenty to play for this season: keeping intact one of the program’s proudest records. The Dolphins have never gone more than three seasons without winning a City title and to keep that streak alive Palisades must take home the trophy this fall. “There’s a lot of pressure on us,” says senior setter Jenna McCallister, who doesn’t want to graduate without a City title. “We look up at all those banners in the gym and realize the tradition and we want to add to that.” The Dolphins won the last of their 22 City titles in 2003but appear to have all the pieces in place to hang another banner on the wall come November. Pali’s starting lineup consists of returners–five seniors and a junior. By contrast, City finalists Taft and San Pedro each lost several key players to graduation. “We have to be careful to focus on all of our games, one at a time,” senior hitter/blocker Teal Johnson said. “That [2003] team was in the same spot we are and they won City so now it’s our turn to keep that legacy going.” Chris Forrest, who coached boys varsity in the spring, has put his team through demanding practices in preparation for the season-opening Gahr tournament next Friday. “If they play their best, no one should beat them,” Forrest said of his team. “If everyone stays healthy and plays together we should be fine.” Forrest described defending champion Taft as “always a threat” and named Grant, Granada Hills, Birmingham and Western League rival Venice as other viable contenders. Jennifer Donohue, a senior opposite hitter, called the drills Pali runs in practice “challenging but fun.” “We really have to concentrate on technique,” she said. “During the school year we bonded and formed this trust that is unbreakable.” Johnson agreed that team chemistry is the best it has been. “Everybody’s really close,” she said. “This is my favorite team–and that includes the club teams I’ve been on.” McCallister believes communication between coach and players has improved this year. “Chris is a real encourager,” McCallister said. “He focuses on stuff we’re not doing well and shows us how to correct it.” The other starters are hitter/blocker Alex Lunder, defensive specialist Rachael Ehrlich and outside hitter Laura Goldsmith. According to Lunder, playing San Pedro in their first nonleague match could give the Dolphins a leg up should the teams meet again in the City playoffs. “When we played them in the semifinals last year, their crowd was really loud and when we got behind we never quite got back into it,” Lunder said. “This year we’ll have an even better chance and that pre-season game will help us.” Rounding out the varsity team will be junior outside hitter Chelsea Scharf, sophomore opposite hitter Bonnie Wirth, sophomore libero Tait Johnson, junior middle blocker Kelsey Keil, junior setter Samantha Jaffe and senior opposite hitter Christine Kappeyne. “I think the girls’ defense is better and they are connecting better on the court than they were last year,” Forrest said. “We’ll have a much more creative offense.” Michelle Kauffman will coach the junior varsity squad, led by sophomore setter Lauren Gustafson.