They’ve Finally Found a Meeting Place : Newport Harbor and Irvine to Play for State Volleyball Title

The Newport Harbor and Irvine high school girls’ volleyball teams will play for the first and last time this season when they meet at 7:30 tonight in Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Gym.

The teams will play for the state Division I championship, ending the winding season that started in September.

Consider that Newport Harbor (5-A) and Irvine (4-A) won their Southern Section championships nearly a month ago.

“It seems like a long time ago,” said Dan Glenn, Newport Harbor coach.

And through it all, it seems a bit strange that the teams haven’t played.

Newport Harbor (24-0) did not participate in the Orange County Championships, in which Irvine (27-2) lost to Corona del Mar in the final.

The teams did not meet in the San Marcos tournament, which Newport Harbor won.

Irvine defeated Fremont, 16-14, 3-15, 15-13, 13-15, 15-12, in a semifinal match at Fremont. Newport Harbor defeated Davis, 15-6, 15-2, 15-7, to advance to the final.

Tonight’s match pits two of the state’s best outside hitters--Irvine’s Bev Oden, a junior, and Newport Harbor’s Jenny Evans, a senior. Both players can dominate.

If Evans, the Sea View League’s most valuable player, and Oden, South Coast League MVP, cancel each other out, Irvine may have an advantage in senior Cari Delson, the South Coast League’s MVP last season. She is one of the area’s most consistent players.

“I look at a team like Irvine and they are just peaking,” Glenn said. “Mark (McKenzie, Irvine coach) has done a great job of pacing his team through the season.”

Ranked No. 1 in the state for most of the season, Newport Harbor has benefitted from an experienced team with nine seniors.

“This is the way to end it,” Glenn said. “One match for it all.”