Giving OCC middle ground

At the apex of the action at the net, short is not a word volleyball coaches would associate with success.

But for Orange Coast College, which continues a surprising postseason run today when the eight-team California Community College Athletic Assn. women’s volleyball state championship begins at Pasadena City College, this is not necessarily the case.

At 5-foot-11, freshman middle blocker Briana Fields is considered, by collegiate standards, short for her position. But her propensity for being short on patience has, ironically, helped the former outside hitter trigger both individual and team success for the Pirates.

“I think because the middle runs quicker, I don’t have as much time to think,” said Fields, whose shift to the middle, OCC Coach Chuck Cutenese believes, was the biggest among three key lineup changes that helped OCC (20-4 heading into today’s first-round clash with 25-5 Fresno City College at 5:30 p.m.), find its prime gear. “When you play outside, you have to wait for the set and be patient, and I sometimes would over-process everything. In the middle, the set is just there and I can go and get it. I’m not a patient person, so this lets me just go, go, go.”

Fields, whom friends call a constant energy bubble, was recruited out of Edison High with the promise that she could play outside hitter, a position she both loves and, most believe, better fits a physical profile sought by recruiters at four-year schools. But when Cutenese and his staff quickly identified a weakness early in the Pirates’ season, he approached Fields about stepping into the middle.

“I was a little leery [about the request],” Cutenese said. “But she immediately said she would do whatever was needed to help the team.”

Both Cutenese and Fields said the change brought immediate and lasting dividends.

“I hadn’t played middle since my freshman year in high school, so it was weird that it didn’t take me longer to get back into it,” said Fields, who has led the Pirates in kills 11 of the last 19 matches, including the last five and seven of the last eight. “It was actually like I was learning it all over again, but I was better at it than I had ever been.

“I’m not sure why, but I feel that we just click together better with me in the middle. I definitely feel it.”

Said Cutenese: “The minute we moved her to middle, everything changed. I just looked at my assistant coaches and we knew it was the right move.”

Cutenese believes it could also be the right move for Fields’ future.

“At most four-year schools, 5-11 is undersized for outside hitters, too,” Cutenese said. “I personally think middle is her strongest position and that she’s more natural there. She jumps and attacks at a higher point in the middle. She’s very quick off the floor.”

Fields said her desire to play outside had something to do with the knee tendinitis aggravated by the frequent lateral movements required from a middle blocker. But, she said, the pain of losing while trying to find the ideal lineup, was far worse.

“If me being in the middle has helped us do well, then I’m all for it,” she said. I really want to win and I know my teammates really want to win and we’re going to do whatever it takes.”

To advance through the Southern California Regional playoffs, it took an upset of Los Angeles Pierce, the No. 1 team in the state, which had won 61 straight matches at home. OCC posted a 25-14, 14-25, 25-22, 25-22 triumph Saturday as Fields shared the team lead with 15 kills.

“When we found out we were playing the No. 1 seed, I was scared,” Fields said. “But Jena Curry [a sophomore whose insertion as a defense specialist has also helped the team improve] told me not to be scared. She was like, ‘I want to win. It’s better that we’re playing them now. Like, let’s do this now.’ Then, I was like, ‘OK Jena, I’m ready now.’ ”

Fields said seven wins in seven of their last eight matches, including five straight, have boosted the OCC players’ confidence to a new high.

“Everyone wants this [state title, which would be the program’s third in the last four seasons],” Fields said. “My mind-set is: We’re doing this. There is no losing. We’re going to win. We have to win. Basically, our whole starting lineup feels the exact same way.”

Clearly, Fields is not short on confidence.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].