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Corona del Mar volleyball beats Beckman, sets up big match vs. Mira Costa

May 7, 2025

NEWPORT BEACH – Corona del Mar’s boys volleyball team defeated Beckman in four sets, 26-24, 25-17, 17-25, 25-17, on Tuesday in a CIF Southern Section Division 1 pool play match.

The victory set up a bigger match Saturday.

The Sea Kings will play at Mira Costa in the final round of pool play Saturday. Both teams are 2-0 in Pool A. The winner advances to the Division 1 championship match.

Corona del Mar has played Mira Costa twice this season. Mira Costa won both of those matches, 2-1 in a tournament and 3-0. The Sea Kings’ other losses were to Division 1 playoff teams, two to Huntington Beach in Sunset League matches and one to Loyola in nonleague play.

Mira Costa (31-2) swept San Clemente in another Pool A match Tuesday.

Beckman plays San Clemente in the final round of Pool A on Saturday.

Junior outside hitter Ben Brown led Corona del Mar with 18 kills Tuesday. He also had two aces.

Junior outside hitter Brady Gant had 10 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Daniel Booker contributed 10 kills, and junior outside hitter Hunter Hannemann added nine kills.

Junior setter Drake Foley had 48 assists. Libero Brogan Glenn, the team’s only senior on the floor, had 14 digs.

The front-like blocking of Gant, Brown and junior middle Jack Robinson was essential to Corona del Mar’s success.

Beckman opposite hitter Luke Morrison, a senior lefty who signed with Stanford, had 16 kills and a handful of blocks. Junior Gavin Looney and seniors Jack Frame and Dimitri Perez also were consistent contributors for Beckman’s scoring.

Corona del Mar took an early lead in the first set before the Patriots roared back, putting together a Morrison-led 11-3 run that put Beckman on top 14-11. Beckman later had a 21-18 lead but could not hang on as the Sea Kings won it 26-24.

The Sea Kings led throughout the second set on the way to their 25-17 win. Beckman showed plenty of resolve to get the victory in the third set 25-17. Corona del Mar reestablished control to win the fourth set 25-17 and capture the match.

“We battled through,” said Corona del Mar coach Katey Thompson. “We didn’t quite get the start we wanted. We still have a lot of juniors that are playing that haven’t played CIF (playoff) matches before.

“So one of our hurdles is having everyone understand it’s just another volleyball match. Yes, it’s CIF. But we’re going to be OK.”

Gant said the Sea Kings’ play at the net was solid.

“I think we were better at blocking than we’ve ever been,” Gant said.

So now it’s on to Mira Costa to play the top-seeded Mustangs, the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps.com national rankings that have Huntington Beach at No. 2 and Corona del Mar at No. 3.

“We’re a more improved team since the last time we played them,” Thompson said.

Corona del Mar played Mira Costa in the final round of Division 1 pool play last season. And like this season, that match determined which of those two teams advanced to the final. Mira Costa won it to get to the final, where it lost to Loyola.

“The history of Corona del Mar vs. Mira Costa will get everyone fired up,” Thompson said.

Orange County Register

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Corona del Mar volleyball beats Beckman, sets up big match vs. Mira Costa

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