CALL THIS TEAM THE BIG TINY GRACE BRETHREN (ENROLLMENT 212) TAKES ON VOLLEYBALL POWERS.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

When the call from Grace Brethren High of Simi Valley came three years ago, Ryan Gordon was admittedly a bit skeptical.

Here was Gordon, a longtime club volleyball coach and assistant at Hart of Newhall being asked to revitalize the program at Grace Brethren, a tiny school with all of 212 students.

Thanks, but no thanks was Gordon's initial reaction. After all, he was used to the big time of high school and club volleyball. To accept a job at Grace Brethren, he felt, was like taking a step back.

Out of respect, Gordon agreed to at least take a look-see at the school. The intent was to drop by, say hello and just as quickly say goodbye.

Gordon dropped by, all right, It was the leaving that proved difficult, even impossible.

``What can I say, I fell in love with the place,'' Gordon said.

Three years later, Gordon is entrenched, building Grace Brethren into one of the top small-school programs in the Southern Section and one that this year will take on the likes of Thousand Oaks and Westlake, among others, in an attempt to strut its stuff against its big-school neighbors.

``We are totally looking forward to playing schools like that,'' said left-side hitter Lizzi Orona. ``Now, a lot of people are like, `Grace Brethren is so small, there is no way you can compete against bigger schools.' But we don't agree. We feel like we can play with them.''

The Lancers have all the motivation they need heading into the new season, having lost to Santa Clarita Valley Christian in the Div. V-A semifinals last year in a match they still feel they should have won.

Last year's loss is this year's inspiration, though. Grace Brehtren isn't just hopeful of returning to the semifinals, the Spirits want to go even further.

``Really that's all we've thought about since we lost last year, getting past the semifinals and hopefully winning the championship,'' said setter Kristina Bennett. ``That loss hurt last year, so we're definitely motivated to make things right this time.''

Grace Brethren doesn't just have the necessary motivation, the Spirits also have talent on their side with five starters returning including Bennett, 6-foot outside hitter Ashley Farrar, Orona, middle blocker Danielle Ball and right-side hitter Caitlin Barshaw.

``They're hungry, very hungry,'' Gordon said. ``We had a preseason camping trip and the girls really bonded and come together, and a lot of what we talked about was losing last year in the semifinal.

``We have a saying now: Just Get There. By that we mean let's just get to the finals. Because at that point, anything can happen, and I know these girls want to win a championship.''

And they would love to do so representing Grace Brethren. They've all heard the talk about how small the school is and how tiny programs can't match up against the bigger schools. They hear it, but they don't believe it.

That is why they accept the challenge of playing some of their biggest neighbors, all of whom are highly regarded in their own divisions.

``We love to play teams like that because for us, it's almost a no-lose situation,'' Bennett said. ``If we win, that's just unbelievable inspiration for us as well as sending a message to the other team. And the thing is, we really feel like we can compete with them.''

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com

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Six-foot Ashley Farrar and her teammates at tiny Grace Brethren will play Marmonte League volleyball power Westlake this season.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News