Southern Section

Saturday, Nov. 22

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
at Cypress College

DIVISION I-AA

Anaheim Esperanza d. Los Alamitos, 25-20, 25-18, 25-19
The third time was definitely not the charm for the defending Division I-AA champions who beat Esperanza in their two Sunset League meetings in four games.

Esperanza (32-2) dominated from the opening serve and won in a little over an hour. Sophomore opposite Ashley Engle had 19 kills and served the final two points - both let serves that Los Alamitos could not handle.

Brittany Lowe added 10 kills for the Aztecs, who won their first section title and expected to be seeded No. 1 in the Southern region when State pairings are released Sunday, Nov. 23.

Los Alamitos (24-9), which shared the Sunset League title with Esperanza and Huntington Beach Edison, was out of sorts all evening according to Coach Sue Monsoor. The Griffins got 10 kills each from Kara Uhl and Geena Urango.
--Paul McLeod

DIVISION I-A

Temecula Chaparral d . Downey Warren, 27-29, 25-8, 25-11, 25-13
Once the tall and talented Pumas realized they were up against a gutsy opponent with no starter taller than 5-10, they took charge and built insurmountable leads in the final three games of the match to win the Division I-A title. Junior Kelli Tennant, a 6-2 middle blocker, led Chaparral (26-8) with 23 kills and seven blocks. Downey Warren is 23-7. Both teams are expected to be sent on the road when state playoff pairings are released today.
--Paul McLeod

DIVISION II-AA

Manhattan Beach Mira Costa d. Newport Harbor, 25-18, 22-25, 25-16, 27-25
With the score tied, 25-25, in the fourth game and leading defending champion Newport Harbor two-games-to-one in the Southern Section Division II-AA girls’ volleyball championship Saturday afternoon, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa Coach Dea Lea Aldrich took a deep breath and hoped upon hope for the game to end in the Mustangs’ favor.

“I didn’t want it to go to a 15-point game,” she said of the potential fifth and deciding frame. “Newport Harbor had the advantage. It had more experienced seniors on the floor.”

In this case, youth won out over experience and Aldrich got her wish. Mira Costa, behind a couple of freshmen who dominated at the net, found a way to break the stalemate for a 25-18, 22-25, 25-16, 27-25 victory at Cypress College that marked the 12th section title since 1972 for the Mustangs (30-3). The win avenged last year’s upset to Huntington Beach Marina, a loss so bitter that Aldrich said it will never be completely erased from the Mustangs’ minds.

“It feels so good to win,” said senior outside hitter Sydney Donahue, who had 16 kills and 13 digs. “We knew Newport Harbor was a good team, but we are two different teams now.”

Mira Costa, which upended the Sailors twice in August at the Ann Kang Memorial Tournament in Honolulu, including in the title game, definitely showed a different look in the section final with youth playing a much bigger role. Freshman middle blocker Alix Klineman turned in 18 kills and seven blocks, freshman middle blocker Lauren Bledsoe added seven blocks and sophomore setter Taylor Carico had 12 kills, 17 assists and three blocks.

After stumbling in the second game, the Mustangs opened a 20-12 advantage in the third when Klineman blocked Newport Harbor’s Alyson Jennings. Later Bledsoe closed out the game. also with a block on Jennings.

The fourth game went back and forth until Klineman and Donohue shared a block to take a 26-25 lead. The match ended when Jennings, who finished with 13 kills, was stuffed hitting out of the middle attack.

It was a tough loss for Newport Harbor (24-6), which was vying for its ninth section title since 1986. All eight of Newport Harbor’s seniors had never defeated Mira Costa – a stretch of four years . There is an outside shot that these two teams could meet again in the state playoffs, but both will have an uphill fight. Aldrich conceded that Santa Ana Mater Dei, which defeated Redondo Union earlier in the day in the Division II-A final, should be seeded No. 1 in the South, which means the Monarchs will get home-court advantage. Mira Costa is expected to get a pair of home games, while Newport Harbor will have to win on the road Tuesday if it hopes to set up a possible rematch at Mira Costa next Saturday.
--Paul McLeod

DIVISION II-A

Santa Ana Mater Dei d. Redondo, 27-29, 25-13, 25-13, 25-23
The Monarchs, ranked No. 2 by The Times at the end of the regular season, got what Coach Craig Pazanti called “our mosted balanced effort so far” in the Division II-A final and won their third consecutive section title and perhaps earned the top Division II seed in the Southern region of the state playoffs. Mallorie Croal, led the Monarchs (32-3) with 15 kills, but Brynn Maurer added 11 and Kim King chipped in 10.

Redondo Union (25-14) got good efforts out of its middle attack, led by 6-1 sophomore Rebecca Saraleno, who had 18 kills and two blocks. Opposite Sahra Stein had 16 kills and five digs.

A fired-up Redondo matched the Monarchs point for point in the first game until a controversial referee’s decision awarded the Sea Hawks game-point. Mater Dei jumped out to double-digit leads in the next two games, but Redondo was tied with Mater Dei, 22-22, in the fourth before a pair of hitting errors handed the Monarchs a two-point cushion and that eventually proved to be the Sea Hawks’ downfall.
--Paul McLeod

DIVISION III-AA

Santa Margarita d. Irvine Northwood, 25-17, 25-16, 25-17
Blair Socci had 16 kills to lead second-seeded Santa Margarita in the Division III-AA final.

Socci, a junior outside hitter, had five kills in the opening game and eight in the deciding game, including five in an opening 7-1 run.

The top-seeded Timberwolves (22-5) hurt themselves in the second game, giving up 11 points on five hitting errors, four ball-handling errors, a service error and a rotation violation.

Dana Crary was a key contributor for the Eagles (23-7) in the first game. The junior middle blocker had three kills in a 5-0 run that put Santa Margarita ahead, 20-15. Before then, the score had been tied 11 times.

Northwood again played without senior outside hitter Laura Black, who injured her ankle in practice shortly before the playoffs began. Black averaged 15 kills and 10 digs a match before the injury.

Lindsay Macias had 14 kills to lead Northwood.
--Dan Arritt

DIVISION IV-A

Brentwood d. San Pedro Mary Star, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23
It was no contest, as Brentwood (27-3), recorded its fourth sweep of the playoffs in the quickest match of the day. It was the first section title for the Eagles since 1998.

Mary Star, which upset four-time defending champion San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s in the semifinals, is 21-5.
--Paul McLeod

DIVISION V-AA

Simi Valley Grace Brethren d. Santa Barbara Laguna Blanca, 25-21, 24-26, 25-17, 21-25, 15-12
Ashley Farrar had 18 kills and Lizzi Orona added 10 for the Lancers (21-5), who survived furious outputs from Alicia Freeman (26 kills, 26 digs) and Katie Nulty (24 kills, 18 digs) of Laguna Blanca (16-1) to win the Division V-AA crown.
--Paul McLeod

DIVISION V-A

Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep d. Arroyo Grande Coastal Christian, 25-10, 25-18, 25-17
Courtney Corder posted 19 kills and Nikki Day added 13 for the Kares (17-8), who were never threatened in the Division V-A final. Coastal Christian is 14-4.
--Paul McLeod

Friday, Nov. 21

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
at Cypress College

DIVISION III-AA

Bishop Montgomery d. Corona del Mar, 25-21, 25-17, 28-26
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Knights, who returned only one starter off last year’s Southern Section and state championship team. Not so. Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Ferrell pounded 18 kills to lead top-seeded Bishop Montgomery (24-8) to the sweep over a befuddled Corona del Mar (21-9), which hurt its cause by making unforced error after error at crucial junctures at Cypress College.
-Paul McLeod

DIVISION IV-AA

Marymount d. Notre Dame Academy, 25-15, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19
The only surprise here is that the Sailors gave up a game to Notre Dame, a team that Marymount (31-1) defeated twice in Sunshine League play. Marymount, which won its third consecutive section title, entered the playoffs ranked No. 1 in the area by The Times. Sue Carls led the way with 17 kills and eight blocks, Stesha Selsky had 14 kills, Jamie Kaufman had 12 kills, Sandy Barbut came up with 19 digs and three service aces and Betsy Cale turned out 25 assists at Cypress College. Notre Dame is 22-8.
-Paul McLeod

Tuesday, Nov. 18

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

Semifinals

DIVISION I-AA

Esperanza d. Long Beach Wilson, 25-22, 19-25, 25-21, 25-23
Ashley Engle had 25 kills and Brittany Lowe added 17 kills for visiting fourth-seeded Esperanza (31-2). Top-seeded Long Beach Wilson is 30-9.

Los Alamitos d. Murrieta Valley, 25-16, 21-25, 25-22, 25-23
Kara Uhl and Geena Urango each had 17 kills and Ashley Tarutis added 39 assists and four aces to lead host Los Alamitos (23-8) past Murrieta Valley (26-4).

DIVISION I-A

Warren d. Oxnard, 25-17, 29-27, 25-14
Michelle Ferrer had 14 kills and 11 digs and Alex Gayda had 27 assists and seven digs for visiting Oxnard (20-7).

Chaparral d. Mission Viejo, 25-13, 25-19, 25-16

DIVISION II-AA

Mira Costa d. Capistrano Valley, 25-17, 25-11, 27-25
Sydney Donahue had nine kills and 13 digs and Alix Klineman added eight kills and seven digs to lead host Mira Costa (30-3). Danielle Bowers contributed 19 assists for the Mustangs.

Newport Harbor d. Edison, 27-25, 12-25, 22-25, 25-19, 17-15
Lauren Miller had 16 kills for visiting Newport Harbor (24-5).

DIVISION II-A

Mater Dei d. Buena, 25-19, 25-12, 25-23
Mallorie Croal had 17 kills and four blocks and Amanda Mais chipped in with 16 digs and 42 assists to lift visiting top-seeded Mater Dei (31-3). Fourth-seeded Buena is 25-6.

Redondo d. South Torrance, 27-25, 25-16, 30-32, 25-23

DIVISION III-AA

Northwood d. Atascadero, 25-23, 22-25, 25-27, 25-19, 15-11
Lindsay Macias had 26 kills and Alex Fell added 21 kills to lead host top-seeded Northwood (22-4). Atascadero is 11-5.

Santa Margarita d. South Hills, 25-14, 23-25, 25-20, 25-16
Dana Crary had 12 kills and Brianna Bowman added 11 kills to lead host Santa Margarita (22-7), seeded second.

DIVISION III-A

Bishop Montgomery d. La Canada, 25-16, 25-21, 25-22
Kristen Castillo had 25 assists, six kills, seven blocks and two aces and Katie Sindelar added 10 digs and two aces to lead host top-seeded Bishop Montgomery (23-8).

Corona del Mar d. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 25-20, 25-18, 25-18
Jordan Smith had 16 digs and Lindsey Ensign added 15 kills and 15 digs to lead visiting Corona del Mar (21-8). Ashley Bill contributed 37 assists for the Sea Kings.

DIVISION IV-AA

Marymount d. Marlborough, 25-14, 25-6, 25-15
Sandy Barbout had 12 kills, 12 digs and three aces to lead host top-seeded Marymount (34-1).

Notre Dame Academy d. La Salle, 16-25, 25-18, 25-13, 21-25, 15-13
Megan Nash had 18 kills and Taylor O’Brien added 11 kills for host Notre Dame Academy (20-9). Kristin Kelley of La Salle (19-7) had 24 kills.

DIVISION IV-A

Brentwood d. Western Christian, 29-31, 25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9
Jessica Fishburn had 23 kills, two blocks and two aces and Kelly McIntosh added 18 kills, 16 digs and two aces to lead Brentwood (26-3) over visiting Western Christian (29-2).

Mary Star d. St. Margaret’s, 25-23, 24-26, 17-25, 25-22, 16-14
Cynthia Covarrubias had 47 assists and nine digs and Rindy Vidovich added 31 kills, 18 digs and seven blocks to lead visiting Mary Star (18-3) over top-seeded St. Margaret’s.

DIVISION V-AA

Laguna Blanca d. Faith Baptist, 25-20, 25-21, 16-25, 25-17
Grace Brethren d. Riverside Christian, 25-23, 26-24, 25-21

DIVISION V-A

Rio Hondo Prep d. Santa Maria Valley Christian, 25-12, 25-17, 25-16
Courtney Corder had 19 kills and Allison Ozaki had 44 assists to lead host Rio Hondo (16-8) past Santa Maria Valley Christian (11-6).

Coastal Christian d. Lighthouse Christian, 21-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18, 16-14