The X-factor of Lighthouse volleyball

By Sarah Montez --

Xiovana Moraida doesn’t even want to call herself a volleyball coach. Her sport was soccer, and she was really good at that. She was team captain of Santa Monica College’s women’s soccer team in 2014. But she was pressed into coaching a sport she's less familiar with.

“I knew that if I didn’t step up and coach that there wouldn’t be a girl’s volleyball team,” says Xiovana, who goes by the easier-to-pronounce “X.”

Nevertheless, Xiovana has become the X factor behind Lighthouse Christian Academy’s resurgence into varsity volleyball after the sport was dropped out of the Saints’ offerings a few years ago.

On Monday, the Santa Monica Saints beat San Fernando Valley Academy from Northridge in five sets 25-19, 13-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-13. LCA now has two wins and three losses.

Xiovana was born in Lodi but was raised in Lockeford, California.

Starting at the ripe old age of 5 years old, she played and loved soccer.

In 2013, Xiovana came to live in Santa Monica to live with her aunt for soccer while attending SMC. She was the captain of the SMC soccer team in her sophomore year (as well as being the captain of her high school soccer team).

As Xiovana stayed in LA after college, she met her now husband Lucas Moraida. Lucas was from Arizona and was attending the Lighthouse Church. As her and Lucas began to talk more, X became a Christian and got more involved in the church.

Xiovana and Lucas married on July 15, 2017. The couple began working jobs that the church provided. Xiovana now is a care-giver at the Lighthouse Infant Care Center, while Lucas teaches the 6th grade at the Lighthouse Church School (LCA’s sister facility).

The couple was put in charge of the Lighthouse Youth Group, which meets every other Friday night at the Lighthouse Church of Santa Monica.

It was working with the youth that inspired Xiovana to make the jump to volleyball. She saw the young girls so enthusiastic for volleyball and very united. But they needed a coach, and without one, frankly, they wouldn’t have a team. LCA doesn’t pay coaches.

Xiovana played volleyball in high school, so she had some basis for coaching. But she lacked real expertise on the finer points. At practice, when Coach Jessica Young of middle school joins the high school, Xiovana cedes to Jessica’s greater experience.

On Monday’s game, LCA dominated the first set but made too many mistakes in the following sets. I’m the setter and kept doing two-handed sets. We fell down on the communication. We lacked confidence at times. So the match was drawn out to five sets, which LCA barely won.

“I can talk to X for advice. She’s always there for me. I feel comfortable around her,” says sophomore Laken Wilson. “I’m grateful that she was able to coach us this year. If she didn’t, we wouldn’t have had a team. I like volleyball and I want to play in college.”

“She’s patient,” says senior Rudy Becerra. “Sometimes we give her a hard time, and she still keeps it together. She’s very sweet and funny.”

Sarah Montez is a sophomore at Lighthouse Christian Academy and a member of its volleyball team.

Read about LCA's victory against Hillcrest Christian.

Or LCA's loss against Westmark School.