Live Oak girls volleyball is back on the winning track.
It is a fierce battle in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, West Valley Division, with the Acorns, 7-1 in league play, tied on top with Santa Teresa at the loop’s halfway mark. San Jose and Del Mar are both just a game behind. Live Oak is 7-2 overall, after a rough campaign in 2024.
“We bonded well and we’ve put in a lot of hours,” junior outside hitter Ciana Anaya said. “We’re rebuilding and we didn’t think we’d do this good.”
But they are quite good. The team relies on a core that returned from last season, has added a few pieces, and some bench players have done well moving into the starting lineup.
Live Oak features a very strong outside attack with juniors Brooke Ledwith and Anaya, as well as a solid middle with Ava Chapman, Peyton Goularte and Michaela Butsch.
Coach Jens Wagner runs a 6-2 offense with setters Jayleen Moreno and Maya Vasquez and a reliable back row headed by libero Olivia Mixco.
“We have a lot of returnees; all but one of the starters returned,” Wagner said. “The girls have started to build chemistry. They do it, the hard work. And our backups provide energy. Serving and outside hitting are our two strong points.”
In addition to the powerful swings of Ledwith and Anaya, Live Oak features Leila Azar and Phoebe Gerhardt at the net. Ledwith and Anaya are six-rotation players who bolster the back row with Mixco. Alexa Sanchez, Eva Oliver, Isabel Isoa Torres and Ava Cranmer-Brown offer depth, mostly at DS.
The Acorns struggled through a 1-20 season a year ago in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa East Division, a “B” league. Moving to the West Valley Division, a “C” league, might not guarantee success but the Acorns have found a winning formula.
In the first half of the league’s double round robin, Live Oak swept Independence, James Lick, San Jose and Oak Grove. They defeated Mt. Pleasant, Santa Teresa and Overfelt in four sets. The sole loss came to Del Mar.
“It’s really nice, after having that losing season last year,” Ledwith said. “We stuck together. We all like each other and we stay hungry.”
Ledwith and Anaya hit with power and can pummel the ball through a block or find seams. The setting is solid. The defense is usually on mark and that helps the two setters find different attack options and keep the opposition guessing about where to send the block.
Defense and passing are key in limiting opponents’ offenses and initiating the Live Oak attack.
Live Oak won seven straight after a season-opening non-league loss to Christopher, but then fell to Del Mar to close the first half of league play. On Sept. 25, the Dons prevailed 25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23.
Live Oak had a slow start in the opening set, trailing 13-5, and then found their stride but could not fully catch up. Ledwith had three kills in the comeback and Anaya had two. Ledwith and Mixco each added aces. A Moreno three-point serving run, shortly after an Anaya three-point serving run, brought Live Oak within 21-19 but the Dons held on.
Improved passing helped the two setters diversify the offense in the second set. Azar pounded two kills from the middle and Chapman had two big blocks. Anaya served five straight points and hit three kills as the Acorns pulled away late to even matters at a set apiece.
Del Mar replied with aggressive serving in the third set and Live Oak’s passing had problems. The Dons pulled ahead 4-0, 11-2 and 16-5. Only a late charge, spurred by Anaya’s three aces, brought the Acorns within range. A 14-6 run brought them within 22-19 but Del Mar scored three straight to finish the set.
In the fourth set, the Acorns fought hard to extend the match. Anaya and Ledwith each belted three kills and served an ace. Chapman rejected an overpass for a point and put up a big block for another. Anaya’s ace produced a 22-21 lead, as the home crown roared its approval. But the Dons pulled back on top and escaped with the win.
In the post-game interviews, the Acorns players were already thinking about a strong second half to league play. Without looking ahead, they were also eager to get back at the Dons on the road in the Oct. 28 rematch.
Mixco reflected afterward on the team’s serve receive issues and the overall energy level. Passing was an area for the team to focus and improve upon. There was a vow to work hard and get better.
Wagner, an upbeat coach who is leading the team and program forward—though giving all the credit to the players—saw similar things.
“The crux is to get the first touch right,” Wagner said. “They (Del Mar) did better on the first touch tonight.”
