By Pete Borello

Prep Girls Volleyball

Bob Keys/Special to the Town Crier

hus far, the Los Altos High girls volleyball team is winning matches the way coach Jason Mansfield predicted prior to the season.

“It’s been a real team effort, and I don’t expect that to change,” said Mansfield, whose team is off to a 7-0 start. “We need everyone to play well to win.”

That’s exactly what happened last Thursday in the Eagles’ 15-13, 15-11, 15-10 home win over Menlo School.

Outside hitters Heather Smith and Ashley Watson led Los Altos with 12 and 10 kills, respectively, but the team also got strong efforts from several other players.

Setter Kristen Luxton and middle blocker Suedy Ezzatyar also “played really solid,” the coach said, while Allison Miller came up with some big digs and fellow outside hitter Ashley Bjorklund passed well.

Los Altos, which traveled to Hollister Tuesday, hosts reigning Division V state champ Woodside Priory at 7 p.m., Friday.

Panthers tamed

Pinewood School coach David Winn described last week’s opener against Cupertino as a “heartbreaker.”

Despite winning the initial two games of the Sept. 5 match, the host Panthers wound up falling in five,

“After going up 2-0, we got a little soft and our passing went south,” Winn said of the match, which Cupertino won 11-15, 13-15, 15-7, 15-10, 15-9.” Cupertino adjusted nicely by putting up some good passes and good tip shots which we weren’t ready for.”

Although Winn would have liked to win his first match as Pinewood coach, he had no trouble putting his team’s performance in perspective.

“Considering it was our first match and I was doing a lot of bench substitution to get some (playing time) for some players, I was very impressed by our team play and good attitude,” he said.

Pinewood hosts Castilleja at 5 p.m., Friday.