SOUTHERN SECTION VOLLEYBALL : Defense Helps Los Alamitos to Sweep of La Habra

Los Alamitos Coach Pattie Laird couldn’t stop smiling after her team’s three-game victory Saturday night over La Habra in the second round of the Division II girls’ volleyball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School.

“I’m really proud of this team,” Laird said. “In the last two matches we have become more of a team. We are playing together with a lot of confidence.”

Los Alamitos (15-1) beat the Highlanders, 15-8, 15-2, 15-8. The Griffins have won 13 games in a row. La Habra finishes 14-2.

The Griffins’ defense has given up only 32 points in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

“We have been playing great defense,” Laird said. “We won the key rallies and that kept our motivation going.”

Sharine Ebadi took over service in Game 3 with the Griffins trailing, 5-6. She served eight points in a row as the Griffins took a 12-6 lead. Ebadi had three aces in the match and served 18 points.

It took 12 serves in the second game for either team to get on the scoreboard, with the Highlanders scoring first. But behind the play of setter Katie Pearce, who had 38 assists, the Griffins held La Habra to two points.

Middle blockers Maria Bowden and Stacy Laitsch were on the receiving end of Pearce’s sets. Bowden had 14 kills, and Laitsch 12.

The Griffins will play Long Beach Millikan in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The site will be determined by coin toss.

In other Division II matches:

Fountain Valley 3, Cerritos 0--Kristen Moro had 14 kills to lead second-seeded Fountain Valley (16-2) to the 15-8, 15-1, 15-7 victory. Fountain Valley will face Sunset League rival Edison in a quarterfinal Tuesday; the teams split their regular-season league matches.

Edison 3, Esperanza 1--Erin McCown had 11 kills for Edison (14-4) in the 15-9 15-9, 7-15, 15-10 victory.

Huntington Beach 3, El Modena 1--After stumbling in its first game, 14-16, Huntington Beach came back to soundly defeat El Modena, 15-2, 15-2, 15-7. Melissa Wendt led the Oilers (15-5) with 23 kills and Jill Meyers added nine. Huntington Beach will face North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, a three-set winner over San Gabriel, in the quarterfinals.

In Division III:

Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World 3, Kennedy 1--Lisa Pitt had 11 kills for Kennedy, which was defeated by Rim of the World, 15-12, 11-15, 15-12, 15-9. Clair Lee had 16 sets for the Fighting Irish (16-2).

In Division VI:

Burbank Providence 3, Liberty Christian 1--Christy Curto and Rosemary Cugno each had 13 kills for Liberty Christian (14-4), which ended the season with the 15-12, 8-15, 15-12, 15-7 loss.

In Division V:

Calvary Chapel 3, Hemet West Valley 0--Courtney Owens had 15 kills and Sara Roberts added 12 for Calvary Chapel in the 15-0, 15-2, 15-4 victory. April Braham served seven aces for Calvary Chapel (16-1), which will next face L.A. Baptist, a three-set winner over Paraclete Saturday.

In Division VI:

St. Margaret’s 3, Downey Calvary Chapel 0--Monica Girard had 13 kills and Lisa Bevill 25 assists to lead St. Margaret’s to a 15-2, 15-7, 15-4 victory. St. Margaret’s (16-3) will play Windward, a four-set winner over Hemet Baptist Christian, in the quarterfinals.