McFarland, Buena I-A OK, Beat Hart

How far can Buena High advance in the girls’ volleyball playoffs?

The answer is Krystal clear.

With 16 kills and a second consecutive strong playoff performance, Krystal McFarland helped Buena defeat Hart, 15-10, 15-13, 15-5, in a Southern Section Division I-A second-round match Thursday night at Hart.

McFarland, who played on the national youth team last summer, was especially effective in the second game, pounding down four kills in the beginning and two kills at the end to break a 13-13 tie and thwart a Hart comeback.

“I love playing under pressure,” said McFarland, a junior outside hitter and setter who had 10 kills in a first-round sweep of Beverly Hills.

“Through playing club basketball and volleyball, I’ve always had pressure. I love it.”

Her teammates apparently thrive on it, too.

Gina Aglietti, who had four kills in each of the final two games and finished with eight, helped boost the Bulldogs (23-7), ranked No. 6 in the region by The Times.

If Buena wins its quarterfinal match against Claremont on Saturday, a semifinal date against top-seeded Royal appears likely.

“I’m hoping for that,” said McFarland, who played club volleyball with two Royal players. “It’s kind of like a little rivalry between us.”

Hart (20-5) received strong play from middle blockers Christina Luce and Gina Casillas, who each had nine kills, but couldn’t put together a consistent attack from the outside.

“They had some big guns out there,” Coach Tiffany Coe of Hart said. “Like four of them. Most teams only have one or two. They’re put together well all around.”