When Mikayla Pierce’s cell phone rang on a Sunday night in December and she discovered she was The Fresno Bee’s Co-Player of the Year for girls volleyball, the senior outside from Clovis West High hitter chatted for a few minutes until she arrived home. Then she set the phone down and let loose an ear-piercing scream as she shared the news with her mother.

“This is so great. Wow!”said the 5-foot-10-inch Pierce, a four-year starter for the Golden Eagles.

Of course, what made it even better was that Pierce was sharing the honor with her Clovis West co-captain, Lauren Albertson.

Albertson, a 6-3 senior middle blocker, was a two-year starter for the Golden Eagles. However, she was sidelined for much of the 2007 league season after spraining her ankle in a Tri-River Athletic Conference opener against Central.

“I felt I had a lot to prove this year,” Albertson said. “Sitting on the bench for so long just drove me so much harder in the offseason. I wanted to make up for the time I missed. I felt I could make such an impact for our team.”

Both Albertson and Pierce did just that, helping the Golden Eagles to the first Central Section girls volleyball championship in the school’s 30-year history.

“That is definitely the highlight of my high school career," Pierce said. "I couldn’t ask for anything better.” Clovis West went 10-0 this season to win the TRAC then defeated Liberty-Bakersfield 3-0 in the Central Section Division I final. After a first-round win over Santa Barbara in the CIF Southern California D-I playoffs, the Eagles fell 3-1 to top-seeded Santa Margarita in the semifinals. Clovis West finished the season with a 28-6 record. Pierce and Albertson were named co-Most Valuable Players of the TRAC. They also shared top offensive player honors for the Golden Eagles. Both were named to the all-tournament team at the Clovis Invitational. Pierce ranked second to junior outside hitter Lyndsie Petersen on the team with 368 kills. Pierce also had 11 blocks and 125 digs.

Clovis East coach Vicki Samarin said the Timberwolves’ defense was designed to slow Pierce down.

“She’s somebody you have to key on,” Samarin said. “But she’s difficult to defend because she has a very quick arm swing; she beats the block. She wants the ball. She’s a go-to girl. And she’s a good, solid defensive player in the back row, too.”

Albertson also was dangerous, said Madera coach Jeannie Davis: “She was a huge asset to them in hitting and blocking.”

Albertson’s 292 kills ranked third on the team and her 113 blocks led the Golden Eagles. Clovis West coach Rhonda DeRuiter said Pierce and Albertson made quite a combination. “They’re great athletes, and they both worked extremely hard,” she said. “They had a big job this year on and off the court keeping everyone together and they did it very well.”

However, these 17-year-olds share more than just a talent for volleyball.

Each carries a 3.7 grade-point average and is an ambassador for Clovis West through the Eagle of Honor program (Pierce for volleyball and Albertson for Link Crew, the school’s freshman outreach program). And both want to be surgeons.

Albertson has accepted a full scholarship to play volleyball at Fresno Pacific next season. Pierce, who also is part of Clovis Unified’s Inter-School Council, hopes to play college volleyball but has not committed to a school yet.

“Volleyball is a passion of mine,” said Pierce, who began playing in fourth grade. “I love competing. The drive to win makes me want to play.”

Albertson, who started playing in fifth grade, can say the same thing. “I just get this rush when I play,” she said. “I’m so happy I’m playing in college because I don’t think I could live without it. Some how, some way it’s always going to be a part of my life.”

The reporter can be reached at mslaby@fresnobee.com or at (559) 441-6758.