Newport Harbor faces Salinas in the Division I State Volleyball Championships tonight at 7 p.m.

Click here for the preview story

Click here for a preview capsule

Projected starting lineups

Outside Hitters

Salinas: Tori Bozzo/ Alex Barbeau

Newport Harbor: Kirby Burnham/Maddy Brown

Edge: Even. Bozzo and Barbeau is Salinas’ big combination and where the team looks to get the majority of its swings. Newport Harbor has one of the best in the county in Burnham, and Brown has more than held her own throughout the postseason.

Opposites

Salinas: Ellie Larronde

Newport Harbor: Kasey Thompson

Edge: Salinas. Larronde recorded 12 kills in Salinas’ semifinal victory over Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills. Newport Harbor doesn’t rely on setting its opposite.

Middle blockers

Salinas: Lacee Ventura/Ashlee Shaw

Newport Harbor: Katey Thompson/Alex Holbrook.

Edge: Newport Harbor. This could be the biggest advantage in the match with player-of-the-year candidate Katey Thompson leading the way. Newport Harbor figures to have the better middle play and it could prove the difference.

Liberos

Salinas: Sarah Reams

Newport Harbor: Kelly Heenan

Edge: Salinas. Reams is arguably the team’s best player. She was its top hitter before switching to libero, and the team has won 18 straight since. Heenan is no slouch at her position either, though, as she is among the best in the county.

Setters

Salinas: Jordan Cotton

Newport Harbor: Cinnamon Sary

Edge: Even. Both teams enter with solid players at the setter position. Cotton recorded 49 assists in her semifinal victory. Sary dished out 53 in her team’s win.

Defensive specialist

Salinas: Janelle Waters

Newport Harbor: Mackenzie Campbell

Edge: Newport Harbor. Campbell was the team’s starting setter before breaking a finger. Her return has not only added a valuable commodity in the back row, she provides the team with an emotional spark.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.