ROUNDUP : Sunny Hills Wakes Up Just in Time

For too long, Sunny Hills and La Habra played their Freeway League girls’ volleyball match with the intensity of a cold mackerel.

Neither side acted as if their first league meeting meant much.

But as the fifth game began, Sunny Hills became inspired and emerged with a 9-15, 15-8, 15-7, 9-15, 15-0 victory Tuesday night at Sunny Hills High.

“I don’t know what it was about this match,” Sunny Hills Coach Ron Kasser said. “It just wasn’t there. Neither team played that well, or with much intensity.”

But the Lancers’ (6-2, 3-0) stepped it up in time. After a see-saw action for two hours, Sunny Hills took over. Outside hitter Jenifer Coopman opened the game with three kills and, behind the serving of Christy Blunt, Sunny Hills grabbed the lead, 9-0.

As if to make up for lost time, several players finally contributed. Senior setter Carolyn Sarnecki had four kills--two on off-speed hits close to the net--and a block and Megumi Takasaki ended the match with an ace.

“We wanted it so bad,” said Sarnecki. “We started off shaky, we weren’t at the top of our game at all. We lost to La Habra in the Diamond Bar tournament earlier this year and we didn’t want to lose to them again.”

For La Habra, Kameron Schambeck had 15 kills and Deidre Vivanco added 12. Sunny Hills’ Coopman had 19 kills and Sarnecki contributed 17 kills and six blocks.