Position switch pays off at Torrey Pines

Post date: Sep 16, 2015 4:10:25 PM

Position switch pays off at Torrey Pines

Time at libero helps outside hitter evolve quicker as a player

By Terry Monahan | noon Sept. 12, 2015

Torrey Pines senior Jillian Strockis, who will attend Boston College, had nine kills in a match last week against Santa Fe Christian. — Sean M. Haffey

Members of the Torrey Pines girls volleyball team who’ve already made college commitments:

Player /College

Greer Moseman / North Carolina

Cailin Onosko / Washington

Savvy Simo / UCLA ++

Jillian Strockis / Boston College

Serena Mueller / New Hampshire

Carly Kutschke / Lafayette

Hannah Schraeger / TCU

Alexis Palmer / Pepperdine

Alexis Filippone / Pepperdine +++

++ Indoor and sand volleyball

+++ Sand volleyball

When you win championships as often as the girls volleyball team does at Torrey Pines High, younger players must patiently await their turn to shine on the court.

Jillian Strockis was an outside hitter in a program loaded with talented strikers, as evidenced by four consecutive San Diego Section championships.

Strockis, now a senior, opted for a different route to more playing time.

With coach Brennan Dean’s blessing, she switched to the libero position as a sophomore.

“Passing is the best part of my game anyway, so being a libero helped increase my playing time sooner,” Strockis said after collecting a team-high nine kills in last week’s 25-15, 25-12, 25-23 nonleague victory over visiting Santa Fe Christian. “Brennan always says the best passer stays on the court.

“Passing is my best asset and my favorite thing to do.

“I knew if I could get on the court and stay on the court, something good would happen.”

It did.

Last season, Strockis moved back to her old outside hitting spot and earned second-team All-Palomar League honors as the Falcons were once again crowned league champions before claiming the section Open Division title.

The 6-foot Strockis has committed to Boston College.

“I’ve lived my whole life here and I wanted to live someplace different for a while,” she said. “Once I visited the campus, I knew it was the place for me. It was rainy and windy that weekend but no snow. I still loved it.”

Having former Torrey Pines teammate Camille Omecke at BC didn’t hurt, either.

The Falcons (2-0) again are favored to win the Open Division for a fifth straight section title.

Against Santa Fe Christian — playing without 6-2 superstar Lexi Sun, who was resting after playing on the USA Junior National team in South America in August — the Falcons fashioned a 28-21 edge in kills, an overwhelming 10-1 margin in blocks and an 11-5 advantage in aces.

Alexis Filippone was right behind Strockis with eight kills and two blocks. Savvy Simo added four kills while Brynn Chandler had four aces.

“Jillian has done a great job the last three years on varsity,” Dean said. “Her demeanor is one of being very stable out there. She has very few ups and downs, which coaches love.

“She made herself into an impact player, and now she’s one of our captains.

“She has always been ready for this moment. She has a calmness I hope other players on this team pick up on.”

It’s called playing volleyball the Falcon Way.