GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP : Newport Harbor Wins Its Opener

Although the Newport Harbor Sailors started slowly, their balanced attack eventually pounded out a 15-11, 15-4, 15-13 victory over Huntington Beach in a nonleague girls’ volleyball match Tuesday at Newport Harbor High.

Sara Fairborn had 14 kills, Misty May had 13 and Melissa Schutz had 11 for the Sailors (1-0), ranked No. 1 in Orange County.

“That was a great opening match for us,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “We were able to spread it around and that’s what we want to do more of this season.”

The Oilers (1-1), ranked seventh in the county, took a 6-0 lead in Game 1 before Newport Harbor got untracked.

“We were down early, but we didn’t panic so that was good,” Glenn said. “We weren’t playing poorly, but Huntington was playing well. They are just going to get better and better and I’m sure we’ll play them again.”

Huntington Beach also led in Game 3, 10-5, before the Sailors tied it, 12-12 and pulled away.

“We should have won one game,” Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli said. “I could have done without Game 2. That’s a good, senior dominated team we played and we’re young. We did some good things tonight.”

Junior Melissa Wendt had 13 kills for Huntington Beach, and sophomore setter Allison Ciarelli, who had 17 assists, came off the bench to spark the Oilers in Game 3.

Setter Jenny Hecker had 44 assists for Newport Harbor.