HS Girls Volleyball: Southwestern League Teams Pumped for 2013 Season

Girls volleyball summer camps have begun and the Southwestern League teams are getting ready for the 2013 season. 

Defending champion Vista Murrieta graduated four All-Southwestern girls’ volleyball team players in 2012. To most schools this would decimate the program. Not the Broncos. 

Head Coach Kristen Robarts has all-league junior Amanda Pedersen-Henry and senior Kasey Calderon returning to lead her disciplined, talented team. 

The Broncos were 27-6 overall, undefeated in league play and advanced to round two of the CIF Southern Section finals. 

Chaparral Coach Pat Manning’s Pumas finished second in the league with a 7-3 record and were 16-11 overall. 

Chaparral’s All-Southwestern League juniors Julia Cubbedge and Becca Branch return to anchor the Puma roster. 

Senior Marissa Laster will be leading Coach Kelly Barackman’s Golden Bears onto the court this year. This all-league player was a dominate force for Temecula Valley last year and is looking to better the team’s and her own numbers this season. 

Barackman has a core of veteran players returning for the Bears including all league seniors Kelsey Bawcombe and Sophia Riviere. Temecula Valley is looking tough this year. 

The Wolfpack’s new head Coach Mark Motluck was last years JV coach and will take the helm of a Great Oak team that finished the season 14-10 and was 5-5 in league. The Wolfpack tied for third place with Temecula Valley. 

Seniors Cadie Bates and Jessica Gaffney return and are both looking forward to another All-Southwestern League season. They will provide experience and leadership for the new players on the varsity. 

JV went undefeated in league last year and adds depth and fresh faces to varsity. Look for a strong showing from the Wolfpack in 2013. 

Bonnee Burdine-Arscott’s Rams were 6-18 and winless in league play. The league’s youngest program is heading into its fourth year of Southwestern action and are ready for a break out season. 

Murrieta Mesa is led by Seniors Devyn Pritchard, Dylan Branch and Nicole Holbrook. The Rams are looking forward to shaking the underdog image and bringing the heat to their league opponents. 

The Nighthawks lost Coach Sue Lillie to retirement this season. Lillie was 118-55-1 over her eight-year career at Murrieta Valley. Her Nighthawks were 10-20 overall last year and 3-7 in league.  

Justin Miranda is the new Murrieta Valley varsity head coach. Miranda coached the varsity and JV girls volleyball teams at North Side High School in Tennessee.

Senior Katelyn Nielsen and junior Chelsea Doyle will be the driving forces for the Nighthawks this season, bringing their experience, all-league skills and drive to help the new coach’s transition.