PREP VOLLEYBALL / STATE PLAYOFFS : Laguna Beach Falls Again in Mira Costa Rematch

They got farther in the playoffs than most expected, but that was little consolation for members of the Laguna Beach girls’ volleyball team after it lost to second-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 15-10, 15-7, 15-9, Saturday in the second round of the State Division I tournament.

“I thought we would be in the State final,” Laguna Beach Coach Bill Christiansen said. “We did do a lot better than all the [prognosticators] said and I knew we would do well. Hopefully, we gained a small measure of respect.”

The match was a rematch of the Southern Section final, which Mira Costa won in four games last week at Cypress College. And the problems for Laguna Beach were much the same Saturday at Mira Costa.

Rochelle Esparza had a match-high 19 kills and Kristin Sigel led Mira Costa on a 9-0 scoring run in the third game with a searing jump serve to seal the victory.

The nine-time Southern Section champion Mustangs (24-3) jumped to a 13-3 lead in the first game. The Artists then went on a 7-1 run, but Taryn Turney hit one through a block by Leslie Christen for game point.

Laguna Beach led, 6-4, in the second game but Kathryn Stephenson had two kills to spark Mira Costa on an 8-0 run. Michelle Christ and Ashley Englander combined on a block for one more Artist point before the Mustangs scored three points on two kills by Sigel and a kill by Stephenson.

The Artists led, 5-1, in the third game before Sigel came to the line with her jump serve and led the Mustangs on a 9-0 run. Christiansen tried substituting reserve setter Danielle Kruse for Carolyn Kittell, but it only slowed the onslaught.

The Artists scored only two more points before drawing a net violation call on match point.

Christen had eight kills to lead Laguna Beach (22-6), which started five seniors.

In another Division I match:

Bakersfield Stockdale 3, Mater Dei 0--Roberta Gehlke had 20 kills for Mater Dei. The Monarchs (21-4) lost to Stockdale, 15-7, 15-12, 15-9.

In Division IV:

Calvary Chapel 3, El Cajon Christian 0--Jenny Roberts had 15 kills to lead Calvary Chapel past El Cajon Christian (25-6), 15-9, 16-14, 15-6. Kensy Zulueta had 35 assists for the Eagles (25-6).

Calvary Chapel plays in the Southern Regional final Tuesday at top-seeded Tollhouse Sierra, which beat Thousand Oaks La Reina, 15-8, 15-5, 15-9.