Breakers earn impressive sweep on the road

During the past week, the Laguna Beach and Vista Murrieta girls’ volleyball teams swapped spots in the CIF Southern Section Division 1-A rankings, with the Breakers dropping a spot while the Broncos rose one.

Those rankings will change again next week.

Laguna made a statement Wednesday by going on the road and sweeping Vista Murrieta, 25-22, 25-16, 25-22. The win moves the Breakers, who recorded their fourth straight sweep, to 8-4. Vista Murrieta fell to 16-3.

“We were in control throughout, but I was a little surprised,” Laguna Coach Lance Stewart said of the road sweep. “They had the home crowd, their cheerleaders were out and it was a three-hour bus trip. But we went out there and served well, hit for a high percentage and dug pretty well. Caroline (Holte) hit at a high percentage and our left sides (Marina Paul and Alyse Wallace-Ford) hit real well. Our setters (Allison Palmer, Rachele Killian) had good consistency and location with their balls.

“Our record isn’t as glamorous as many teams because of the schedule we play. This is a real nice win and it’s great to see us playing as a group, and not individually.”

Wallace-Ford had 18 kills and 11 digs, Paul 13 kills and eight digs, Palmer 30 assists and 10 digs and Killian eight assists and six digs for Laguna.

Laguna ran its Orange Coast League record to 3-0 by sweeping past Calvary Chapel and Godinez to run its league win streak to 52 matches. The Breakers picked up a 25-14, 25-8, 25-9 at Calvary Chapel on Sept. 29. Wallace-Ford had12 kills and Palmer 27 assists.

On Tuesday, the Breakers easily defeated Godinez, 25-5, 25-6, 25-5. Wallace-Ford had 14 kills and nine digs and Paul seven kills and 10 digs. Sevana Dvorak registered seven digs and Palmer had 23 assists.

The Breakers play two road league matches next week against Saddleback at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Estancia at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. They start play Oct. 14 at the Torrey Pines Tournament.

“We’re playing as well as we can against our league foes,” Stewart said. “The girls are playing hard, consistent and through in our first three matches. There’s been no letdown and that’s all I can ask.”

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Girls’ Tennis

Laguna continued to roll in Orange Coast League action Sept. 29 as it defeated Calvary Chapel, 15-3, for its second league win in as many matches.

The Breakers won 102 of 140 games played and earned sweeps from the doubles teams of No. 1 Sarah Nederlander and Stephanie Tat, No. 2 Chloe Mansour and Katelyn Bo and No. 3 Kate McMahon and Kate Rogers. Sophomore Brooke Michaels (6-4, 6-2, 6-1) swept at No. 2 singles and freshman Kira Hamilton (4-6, 6-0, 6-0) won two of three sets at No. 1 singles.

Last week, Laguna opened league play by sweeping Estancia, 18-0.

The Breakers host Tesoro on Friday in a 3 p.m. nonleague match. They play three matches over a three-day period next week, beginning with a 3 p.m. Tuesday league match at Godinez. They host league foe Costa Mesa at 3 p.m. Wednesday and play a 3 p.m. Thursday nonleague match at Capistrano Valley.

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Girls’ Golf

Rain washed away Wednesday’s Orange Coast League match at Mesa Linda Country Club between Laguna and host Costa Mesa. In a battle for first place in the league standings Tuesday, the Breakers fell, 238-246, to Estancia at Aliso Creek Golf Course (Ben Brown’s). Cassie Stevenson shot three-over-par 35 to take medalist honors for the Eagles, who now hold a 2-1 season edge in wins over the Breakers.

Laguna starts the coming week with a league match Monday against Estancia at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club’s Mesa Linda course. The Breakers come back Tuesday to face Costa Mesa at Aliso Creek. Both matches start at 2:30 p.m.

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Cross-Country

The Laguna Beach girls’ team ran to a second-place finish Saturday at the Palos Verdes Invitational. The Breakers were second to host Palos Verdes, which Laguna Coach Steve Lalim said is the top-ranked CIF Division 3 team in the state.

Times for Laguna girls at the invitational: Natasha Strickland (13 minutes 14 seconds); Eliza Romero (13:15); Janie Crawford (13:31); Carlee Ressler (13:42); Kay Baskevitch (13:43); Marisa Merchant (14:20); Amanda Ozuna (14:57).

Laguna will take its top seven runners to Fresno on Saturday for the Clovis Invitational.

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Boys’ Water Polo

Laguna split two matches this week. The Breakers fell, 9-7, at Dana Hills in nonleague play Tuesday but came back Wednesday to down visiting Estancia, 25-3, in Orange Coast League play.

Next week, the Breakers host La Cañada, the fourth-ranked team in Division 3, at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, play an OCL game at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at Godinez and are home Oct. 14 for a 4 p.m. nonleague match against Palos Verdes, the sixth-ranked team in Division 3.

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CIF Rankings

Four Laguna Beach fall teams continue to hold down rankings in the latest CIF Southern Section polls.

Laguna’s football team (4-0) has moved from eighth to No. 5 in the Southern Division poll. Two weeks ago, the Breakers were unranked.

In boys’ water polo, Laguna continues at No. 1 in Division 3. In girls’ volleyball, Laguna slipped from third to No. 4 and switched places with Vista Murrieta in the Division 1-A rankings.

Laguna’s boys’ cross-country team rose from sixth to fifth in Division 4.

michael.sciacca@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeSciacca