Arroyo Grande High School volleyball’s run at another league title not slowed by injuries, new coach
When the Arroyo Grande High School girls volleyball team visited San Luis Obispo last October, the Tigers had a plan: stop Ashlyn Herlihy and Emily Sonny.
San Luis Obispo loaded up with blockers to counter the Eagles’ two big hitters, the most dominant players on the court last year. The result was a 3-0 win for San Luis Obispo and an eventual share of the PAC 8 title.
It was a case of Arroyo Grande’s biggest strength also being its biggest weakness. Teams knew if they were able to stop Sonny and Herlihy, who accounted for nearly 75 percent of the team’s kills, they had a chance.
The two teams met again for the first time since that game in October on Tuesday night in San Luis Obispo. Nothing was the same.
Arroyo Grande — armed with a new coach, a new offensive philosophy and a member of last year’s SLO High team now on its roster — rolled the Tigers in straight sets. The one constant this season: Arroyo Grande again looks like it’s on track to win another PAC 8 title, which would be its fifth straight.
With the departure of Sonny and Herlihy, Arroyo Grande has become more diverse offensively. Instead of two players collecting most of the kills, 85 percent of the team’s kills are spread across five players. Arroyo Grande senior Sam Oliver leads the team with 20 percent, but Sabina Selzer (19 percent), Amber Martin (17 percent), Brynn Thoming (16 percent) and Erin Dobbe (13 percent) aren’t far behind.
“I think this year we are harder to defend... because of the balance,” said Thoming who was third on the team in kills as a junior last season. “Last year, we were really good, and our hitters were amazing. But we were so one dimensional, it was kind of easy to defend.”
The architect of the new system is Chip Blaney, a SLO High alum who took over this season. Blaney inherits a team built by Ernie Santa Cruz, who led one of the most successful volleyball programs in the area for 26 years. There have already been challenges for the young coach. Arroyo Grande lost three of its first five games, and two weeks ago middle blocker Zoe Paulsen was lost for the season with a broken ankle.
But Arroyo Grande (9-4, 6-0 PAC 8) continues to roll. In 18 games against PAC 8 competition, Arroyo Grande hasn’t lost. Two of the teams expected to be the biggest challenges — Mission Prep and Paso Robles — were both overmatched in sweeps.
“It’s nice to have a new voice and a new perspective. All of us take really well to him,” Thoming said. “It’s more of today’s volleyball. Not as much old school.”
With setter Eden Mostajo out with a knee injury, Blaney said he used his seventh different lineup this season in Tuesday’s match.
“I always thought we were pretty deep,” Blaney said. “I am pretty confident putting any one of these girls in any situation.”
Arroyo Grande could get even better when junior Rilee Day finally sees the court. Day, an outside hitter and libero for San Luis Obispo last season, is set to join the team next week after sitting out following her transfer.
Blaney said his challenge now will be fitting her into the mix of the already diverse and talented team when the second cycle of league play begins next week. He knows that despite all the injuries and changes, the expectation to win at Arroyo Grande will stay the same for as long as the 23 league title banners hang inside the gym.
“I know the tradition and that aura that comes with AG volleyball, and I am really trying to work as hard as I can to continue that,” Blaney said. “I like to think I am doing a good job, but I also know that I can improve and do better, too. So that is motivating me, and I think the team has that same mindset.”
This story was originally published September 28, 2016 at 1:40 PM with the headline "Arroyo Grande High School volleyball’s run at another league title not slowed by injuries, new coach."