SOUTHERN SECTION VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : St. Margaret’s Upsets Mammoth in Small Schools

Unseeded St. Margaret’s defeated No. 1 seeded and defending champion Mammoth in the semifinals of the Southern Section Small Schools Division girls’ volleyball playoffs Thursday at San Clemente High School.

St. Margaret’s (21-1) trailed, 2-1, in games before pulling out a 9-15, 15-8, 12-15, 15-10, 15-3 victory. Mammoth, which defeated St. Margaret’s in the semifinals last season, finished the season 17-1.

Susie Teitsworth had 16 kills and Hilary Albers had 21 assists for St. Margaret’s.

“They pretty much had the same team that beat us last year,” St. Margaret’s Coach Vickie Gentry said. “It made it that much more sweet.”

In a 4-A semifinal:

Marymount 3, Fountain Valley 1--The Barons got 15 kills from Colleen Moro and 14 from Brandi Cohen but couldn’t overcome an two-games-to-none deficit against Marymount (18-5) at Brentwood High School. Kim Hardgrave had 41 assists for Fountain Valley (17-6).

In a 3-A semifinal:

El Modena 3, Sunny Hills 1--El Modena made five service errors in the first game, which the Vanguards (21-1) lost, 15-6, but rallied to win the next three games, 15-4, 15-2, 15-8, to beat the Lancers (16-4) at La Habra High School. El Modena’s Marni Hichborn had 16 kills and Melizza Benitez had 26 assists.

In a 1-A semifinal:

Los Angeles Baptist 3, Whittier Christian 0--Theresa Brickner had 17 kills and Bethanie Stidham had 10 for host Whittier Christian (15-3), which will wait to see if it receives an at-large berth in the upcoming State tournament.