VOLLEYBALL BEAT : A DOUBLE-DUTY HITTER.

When Sandy Carr was in seventh grade, her volleyball coach wondered why she wrote with her left hand but hit a volleyball with her right hand.

Not knowing why, Carr decided to start hitting left-handed as well. She said it took some time to perfect. Now a sophomore at Canoga Park, she's the Hunters' 5-foot-8 ambidextrous hitter, something coach Joey Nakasone has never seen in his eight years as coach.

``I can hit a lot harder right-handed, but left-handed I'm more accurate,'' she said.

That's not to say she isn't accurate as a righty or hard-hitting as a lefty. She said it depends on how the ball is set to her.

``If it's a too far (from the net), I'll use my left hand,'' she said. ``If it's a good set, right-handed.''

She also is skilled at center, which is her current position because no one else can play it. Nakasone said he wanted to run a 6-2 offense, but his other setters have been declared academically ineligible, making Carr the only one available.

Still, she expects to do some hitting, usually when someone makes a bad pass to her. Because she can hit with either hand, she'll be able to dump the ball over the net no matter which side of her the pass comes from.

``I know the team needs me as center,'' she said, ``but I'm hoping I might be able to hit.''

ETC.

Coach sidelined: Hart is 3-0, but the team is dealing with the absence of coach Kevin Sathre, who underwent an emergency appendectomy Monday night at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills.

From his hospital bed, Sathre said the team is confident following its third-place finish in the Mayfair tournament. Junior varsity coach Ryan Gordon has taken over while Sathre recovers. Gordon coached in Tuesday's win over Palmdale and will be on the bench tonight against Highland.

Reunited: Because their parents are divorced, Lia Davis attended Harvard-Westlake last year and her fraternal twin, Brian, attended Campbell Hall.

They live apart, but Brian said the family thought it would be a good idea for them to attend the same school. So Lia switched to Campbell Hall and now is the starting setter. Brian, a setter on the boys' team, is the girls' team manager. The juniors also have two classes together.

``It's been good; we support each other,'' said Lia, who is 12 minutes older. ``We support each other. He's always there with me.''

``We always have someone to turn to. Blood is thicker than water,'' Brian said.

Duality: Paraclete's Kim Whisler's primary sport is basketball, but she showed volleyball ability on Tuesday, registering a personal-best 28 kills in the Spirits' five-game victory over Quartz Hill.

``Kim was extremely smart,'' Paraclete coach Margaret Neill said. ``When she knew she could hit hard, she did. But when she needed to hit around the block, she picked her holes.''

Future star? Village Christian sophomore Errin Benesh is a 5-11 middle blocker and the only non-senior starting. She currently leads the team in kills and blocks.

``She's really stepped up nicely,'' coach Bill Schnobrich said.

Coming back: Palmdale junior middle blocker Kristine Beham missed last season because she had a torn meniscus in the knee. She had surgery in December and returned in time to play softball last spring.

``I wanted to come back,'' she said. ``It was my determination.''

Now, she's playing a valuable role on the court.

``Obviously, she has a lot of desire and she wants to play,'' Palmdale coach Connie Burns said. ``It's good for us because we need her in the middle-blocker position because of her height (5-10) and ability.''

DAILY NEWS RANKINGS

Through Tuesday's games

No. School Record LW

1. Harvard-Westlake 3-0 1

2. Westlake 0-0 2

3. Thousand Oaks 1-0 3

4. La Reina 3-0 4

5. Flintridge Sacred Heart 3-1 NR

6. Alemany 2-0 7

7. Royal 2-1 8

8. Van Nuys 1-0 9

9. Hart 3-0 NR

10. Sylmar 1-0 NR

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: No Caption (Sandy Carr)

Chart: DAILY NEWS RANKI NGS (see text)