Sister Act Playing Well in Upland

Coaches think they’re seeing double trouble. They’re only partly correct.

Robin and Lauren Miramontes are sisters, not twins, as they are often mistaken to be.

But they do cause problems for opponents while putting Upland High on the girls’ volleyball map, a difficult chore for a school that is far from volleyball’s hotbed, the beach.

When Upland had a successful run in the Orange County Championships last month, Coach Scott Robertson was constantly asked two questions. “Who are those two girls?� And, “Where’s your school located?�

“We’re inland,� Robertson said. “No one out there knows who we are. We shocked a lot of people.�

Robin has been a main reason for Upland’s success. A 6-foot-1 senior opposite hitter who has committed to Long Beach State, she perseveres in practice like few players Robertson has coached.

Lauren, a 6-2 junior middle blocker, is also talented, making practices at Upland almost as competitive as matches.

“It’s kind of like the Venus and Serena [Williams] sisters,� Robertson said. “They push each other. They challenge each other. Sometimes they get in tiffs, but it’s sister stuff.�

It makes Upland a better team.

“There’s not just one person we have to depend on,� Lauren said. “The rotations are really balanced.�

The only setbacks for Upland (6-2) were narrow losses to Marymount and El Toro at the Orange County Championships. The Highlanders are in good hands with the Miramontes sisters. Just don’t call them twins.

“We’ve been getting that since junior high, when [Lauren] caught up to me in height,� Robin said.

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Long Beach showdown: The football team at Long Beach Poly isn’t the only team on campus with a big game this week.

Poly plays Long Beach Wilson in a Moore League volleyball match Thursday at Wilson.

Wilson, a relatively young team, would take the first step toward a league title with a victory.

But Poly, the defending Southern Section Division I-AA champion, is almost as strong as it was last season.

“If we do our job, it’ll be a good match,� Poly Coach Jeff Eyanson said.

In football, Poly is ranked No. 2 in the nation and plays No. 1 Concord De La Salle on Saturday at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.

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Keeping tabs: Former Flintridge Sacred Heart standout Megan Hosp is a key player for South Carolina, ranked No. 17.

Hosp, a 5-9 setter and an All-Southeastern Conference selection last season, leads South Carolina (9-1) in assists and digs.

She had a team-high six kills in a sweep of Mississippi on Sunday.

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Sneak peek: One of the top players in the Southland, Olivia Waldowski, leads Irvine against one of the region’s top teams, Newport Harbor, in a Sea View League match Wednesday night.

Waldowski, a 6-2 middle blocker who has committed to Nebraska, could cause problems for Newport Harbor, which has been in and out of The Times’ top 10 this season.