Photograph by George Sakkestad
All-league volleyball players from the SCVAL's El Camino Division include (kneeling) Gina Paradiso of Cupertino and Siu Henh Ung of Wilcox; (middle five) Amelie Williams, Erica Boss and Stacey Zuccaro of Cupertino, and Erin Norcia and Yvonne Chen of Homestead; and (back four) Iris Martlage of Saratoga, Donna Tripiano of Homestead, and Christy Byrne and Elaina Maxwell of Wilcox.
By DICK SPARRER
Is Erin Norcia the best volleyball player in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League?
The league's coaches sure must think so.
Last week, the volleyball coaches of the SCVAL got together to select their all-league team, and they named Homestead's Norcia the most valuable player.
Norcia, a junior setter, led the Mustangs to the league championship this past fall.
The 5-foot-6 Norcia was joined on the all-league list by teammates Melissa Coombes, a 5-foot-8 senior outside hitter; Donna Tripiano, a 5-foot-11 junior outside hitter/middle blocker; and Yvonne Chen, a 5-foot-4 senior outside hitter.
Cupertino's Stacey Zuccaro was a top all-league pick. The 5-foot-8 senior setter/middle blocker made the squad along with teammates Amelie Williams, a 5-foot-8 senior setter/outside hitter; Gina Paradiso, a 5-foot-9 senior outside hitter; and Erica Boss, a 5-foot-6 sophomore outside hitter.
Rounding out the all-league squad were Siu Henh Ung, Elaina Maxwell, and Christy Byrne of Wilcox; Julie Hootnick, Alexia Smith, Amy Cole and Amy Milo of Gunn; Tamara Robertson, Cami Street and Monica Wilson of Milpitas; Tris Martlage of Saratoga; and Dionne Baub of Santa Clara.
Both Homestead and Cupertino advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs after the conclusion of league play, and both lost in the first round.
Homestead dropped a 15-13, 15-3, 15-13 decision to Live Oak in the CCS Division I tournament to finish the year at 20-8, and Cupertino lost 13-15, 11-15, 15-4, 15-4, 15-7 to Palo Alto to wind up the season at 21-10.
"They're real big, and they just keep coming at you," Cupertino coach Marty Redman said after the loss to Paly. "We just ran out of gas."
"They deserved to win," he added. "But it was nice to go five against them. The girls felt good about it."
Boss came through with 30 digs to lead the Pioneers and Zuccaro blasted 22 kills and added nine blocks. She was also 18 for 18 with nine service points.
Williams helped the Pioneer get off to a good start with six service aces in the first game.
"That was a tremendous factor in our win," Redman said of Williams, who finished the night with 10 service points.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, November 20, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.