Local volleyballers No. 1 at California Championship, earn nationals bid
Submitted by Baldwin Lee
Team members with coach Ernie Rodriguez on the left and coach Shari Rodriguez on the right. Photo Baldwin Lee
Lamorinda teens Brianna Lee, Erin Meade, Molly Mitchell, and Annika Olson helped power their volleyball club team, NorCal Volleyball Club 15-1, to capture the Northern California volleyball championship earlier this month. In the championship match, NorCal rolled to a 25-19, 25-19 victory over SF Elite, which had won the championship the three prior years. Among other finals match highlights, Lee, the Libero, contributed 16 digs and two service aces, with a flawless no-error serve-receive, and hitters Olson and Mitchell each crushed three kills. Meade, Mitchell, and Olson also put up a formidable wall in the front throughout the two-day championship tournament in Reno, recording numerous blocks.
NorCal earned a National Bid from USA Volleyball, so the girls are headed to Detroit for Nationals at the end of June. This is the fourth consecutive year this team has earned a bid to Nationals.
With its regional championship win, NorCal also finished No. 1 of 122 teams in Northern California for the whole season.
NorCal 15-1 is coached by Ernie and Shari Rodriguez, who also helm Acalanes High School's girls' volleyball program. Meade and Olson attend Acalanes, and Lee and Mitchell attend Campolindo High School.
Before you print this article, please remember that it will remain in our archive for you to visit anytime. download pdf (use the pdf document for best printing results!)