Seniors lead Eagles to yet another victory Seniors lead Eagles to yet another victory (October 15, 2004)

Los Altos sweeps Gunn for 24th win

By Mark Thoma

As the coach of a Los Altos girls volleyball squad that has just two seniors on its roster, Dave Winn emphasizes defense, depth, communication and perspective. All four of these qualities were on display Tuesday night in Palo Alto as Winn's Eagles defeated Gunn in three straight games, 25-23, 25-14, 27-25, to improve their record to 24-3 (5-1 in league).

With the win, Los Altos matched last year's win total (24-10), an important stepping stone for a group whose preseason goal was to be the most-improved team in the Central Coast Section.

"We're a young team, but the good thing is, we have some depth," Winn said. "We lost our focus in the first and third games tonight, but we did have a lot of people come in off the bench and play effectively."

It also helps that the Eagles' two seniors are polished talents who have received scholarships to play college volleyball next year.

Six-foot-3 Lauren Schaefer (who will play for Colorado), and 5-foot-8 setter Michelle Nelson (UC Davis) kept the Eagles energized, while the Gunn Titans occasionally suffered from miscommunication and unforced errors.

"I try to pick up the intensity and get everyone to focus," Schaefer said of her on-court leadership. "Whether we're playing Gunn or Los Gatos, we just have to play our game and things will take care of themselves."

Fittingly, an explosive block from Schaefer won the third game and the match for the Eagles, who moments earlier had squandered a 24-20 lead.

Schaefer had a lot of help throughout the evening, though, as several reserves rotated in to make key contributions. With the score 17-16 in the Eagles' favor in the third game, Winn subbed in little-used junior middle back Lauren Alvarado-Curry. Sure enough, the 5-foot-11 junior blocked the first ball that came her way for a point, igniting a 6-2 run for the Eagles.

Los Altos also held off a Titan rally in the first game. The Eagles went up 17-8 before Gunn went on a 13-4 run to tie the game at 21. But then Schaefer came through with two point-winning serves and the Eagles closed out Gunn.

The second game was never in doubt, as Los Altos ended the game on a 15-5 run, highlighted by strong net play by Schaefer and a service ace by Nelson that put Los Altos up 21-10. While the Titans quietly let a few balls fall untouched in the game, the Eagles communicated well and celebrated loudly after each point was won.

"It's like a brand-new team this year, but everyone has seemed to click really well, and our communication on the court is really good," Schaefer said. "This team, more than in other years, has really just connected."

Gunn head coach Minh Dang, who previously coached at Los Altos and knows many of the Eagle players, praised their energy and technical ability.

"They're super-athletic, and they're just a scrappy team," said Dang, whose Titans fell to 11-7 (3-3 in league).

Part of the Eagles' success is due to the coaching of Winn, who has emphasized defense, video and statistical analysis, and a broader perspective on the value of teamwork and competition as more than just a vehicle for personal success.

"You've got to have something else to walk away from it with," Winn said. "Even if we don't win our league, there's more than that to fall back on."

Of course, with two senior stars, effective teamwork and a sterling record, winning league certainly isn't out of the question for Los Altos.

E-mail Mark Thoma at sports@mv-voice.com

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