Saddleback Sweeps Past Chaffey in First Round of the Playoffs

Saddleback defeated visiting Chaffey in three games Tuesday night to advance to the second round of the Southern California women’s volleyball playoffs.

The Gauchos won the first two games, 15-8, 15-6, and took a 14-8 lead in the third game but Chaffey rallied for seven consecutive points for a 15-14 edge. Saddleback tied it, 15-15, and clinched the match with a kill by Whitney Uhl.

Uhl finished with 14 kills. Andrea Iliescu led the team with 15. Jennifer Sims added five blocks.

Claudia Smith had 17 kills to lead Chaffey and Beverly Doughty added 12. Chaffey closed the season at 14-6.

This was the first meeting between the teams this season and the first time the Gauchos have advanced past the first round of regional play since 1989. Saddleback (19-3), which handed the state’s top-ranked team, Golden West, its only loss of the season, will play host to Cerritos Saturday at 7 p.m.

In other playoff matches:

Golden West 3, Citrus 0--Jill Waltemeyer and Annie Sand led the Rustlers with eight kills in the 15-0, 15-5, 15-5 victory. Golden West (22-1) plays host to Orange Coast Saturday. Citrus finishes at 14-5.

Orange Coast 3, San Diego Mesa 1--Jen Marsh had 16 kills for Orange Coast in its 10-15, 15-11, 15-11, 15-5, victory over San Diego Mesa.

Kathleen Murphy had 29 kills for eighth-seeded San Diego Mesa (11-3). The Pirates (16-6) are seeded ninth.

In nonconference men’s basketball:

Irvine Valley 70, San Bernardino Valley 52--Donald Williams scored 12 points, pulled down eight rebounds and had three steals in Irvine Valley’s victory over visiting San Bernardino Valley. The Lasers are 5-0.

In nonconference women’s basketball:

Orange Coast 68, Santa Barbara 42--Jennifer Ludwicki of Orange Coast (4-2) scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Pirates’ victory.