Lydia Schutt can often read where her opponent is going to hit the ball before it even comes over the net. This skill, which has carried the sophomore to a 8-1 record in the top seed of five for her 2024 beach volleyball season, is something she picked up while playing as a defensive specialist (DS) during her indoor season.
“Lydia’s very talented. She’s really fun to watch because she’s a very smart player,” said Ginny Alexander, the girls’ beach volleyball head coach.
This year, Alexander became the head coach of a team where most players, like Schutt, spend their fall season competing in indoor volleyball. Yet, when spring rolls around, they trade in their knee pads for a pair of sunglasses and head to the sand courts.
Ginny Alexander comes on as head coach
The girls spent the preseason setting up their own nets and organizing their own practices after their former coach quit midseason last year. Alexander came on as the head coach at the very beginning of the season, with a similar background in indoor volleyball as the girls.
With past experience coaching for Division 1 teams like Western Kentucky University and Michigan State University, Alexander has led the CHS girls to a strong season start.
The Islanders stand at a 7-2 record as of March 19, and have five two-player teams lining the roster.
“They’ve been training hard, they get along really well, they’re very respectful. I could not ask for a more dedicated group,” said Alexander. “We’ve been mixing up the lineup a lot, trying to figure out who’s playing well together, so we’re still working through that.”
While different partner duos are being experimented with in the third, fourth and fifth seed teams, the first and second seed pairings have remained consistent throughout the matches.
Lydia Schutt and Emily Wygal hold down top seed
Schutt and her partner, senior Emily Wygal, have been partners since the end of last season.
“I could probably put each one of them with somebody else and they would still be successful, but they just seem to hold their own on that number one spot,” said Alexander. “That’s a critical spot to be in. I mean, they’re vulnerable all the time, they are always going to get the top two opponents.”
This standard hasn’t wavered the spirit of Schutt; instead, she has set out with the goal of winning the remainder of their matches this season.
“It might be high aspirations but I’m hoping for it,” said Schutt. “I think it helps that we play a lot of games at the end of practice. We also run a lot of partner stuff, so you get really comfortable playing with your partner.”
Team sets goal of placing in Division 1 playoffs
The team’s performance in their Eastern Division of the San Diego City Conference will determine which division they will compete in for CIF playoffs, if they qualify.
Each team in the conference will play each other twice before playoffs. The CHS crew is looking forward to a rematch with Mission Bay High School, following a close defeat.
The girls lost 2-3 to Mission Bay on Feb. 22. It was a tight matchup; the decisive fifth seed match sealed the loss for the Islanders in the third set with a score of 14-16. The rematch is scheduled for March 26.
“It was a close game, we’ve just got some work to do on our pairings,” said Alexander. “The next match is going to be a big game. We need to get that one.”
Last year, the girls were able to place in the Division 2 league. This season, they set out with higher aspirations of winning the Eastern Division of the San Diego City Conference and qualifying for Division 1 playoffs.
If the Islanders continue at the pace they’re at, they’ll reach their goal of qualifying for CIFs – the conclusion to the season Schutt is most excited for.
“It’s really fun to be in that moment [at CIF] where you have to win or else you’re not going to play anymore,” said Schutt. “It puts a lot of pressure on you, but it’s good to grow from that.”
