Mater Dei’s girls volleyball team returns a few top players from last season’s team that won the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship.
Senior outside hitter Layli Ostovar was the Orange County and CIF-SS Division 1 player of the year. Junior outside hitter Westley Matavao was All-County first team and was named to the All-CIF Division 1 team.
Senior setter Sam Capinpin was on last year’s All-Trinity League second team. Middle blockers Addison Coady, a senior, and junior Emma Kingston will be important contributors.
Mater Dei has added a standout transfer, junior Kale’a Lee, who was the starting setter last year for San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic when it beat Mater Dei in the CIF Southern California Regional Open Division final and won the CIF State Open Division title.
The Monarchs entered this week No. 2 in the MaxPreps.com national rankings, behind No. 1 Byron Nelson of Texas.
Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell likes the talent and versatility of this team.
“We lost some very good role players to graduation,” he said, “players who were very helpful. Our stars, per se, return. With those big guns back, and pair them with the kids we bring in off the bench and the transfer kids, we are very well balanced.”
Mater Dei recently finished second in the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in Florida and was 8-1 going into this week. They have been without Ostovar for much of the season; Ostovar is recovering from an ankle sprain.
The Monarchs’ top competition in the Trinity League likely is Santa Margarita. Mater Dei beat Santa Margarita in the finals of the Elite Varsity Division in the Queen’s Court tournament in early August.
NOTES
Newport Harbor won the championship of the Tesoro Tournament. The Sailors beat San Clemente 25-20, 25-17 in the tournament final. …
The Dave Mohs Tournament, one of the better early-season tournaments in Southern California, is Friday-Saturday, Sept. 5-6, at Edison High. Among the teams in its Division 1 group are Corona del Mar, Edison, Huntington Beach, JSerra, Marina, Newport Harbor, San Clemente, San Juan Hills and Santa Margarita. …
Los Alamitos started 4-0 in the Sunset League with wins over Fountain Valley, Edison, Newport Harbor and Huntington Beach. …
Newport Harbor took a 10-0 record into this week.
Laguna Beach won the CIF-SS Division 7 championship last season. …
Teams again will be placed into CIF-SS playoff divisions according to their end-of-season ratings by the Massey Ratings System. The CIF Southern Section will post the ratings five times this season, starting on Tuesday, Sept. 9. …
The CIF-SS playoffs begin Oct. 21 and the finals are Nov. 6-8.
ORANGE COUNTY TOP 10
1. Mater Dei: The deep Monarchs have two returning All-Orange County first-team players, junior Westley Matavao and senior Layli Ostovar. Ostovar was Orange County and CIF Southern Section Division 1 player of the year last season.
2. Santa Margarita: The Eagles, featuring All-County first-team junior Ireland Real, All-OC second-team senior Memphis Burnett and All-OC fourth-team junior Kate Jackson, could be Mater Dei’s top challenger in the Trinity League.
3. Los Alamitos: The Griffins return All-County second-team junior Kaitlyn Herweg.
4. Newport Harbor: The Sailors are led by All-OC first-team junior Ella Olson, All-County fourth-team sophomore Piper Coady.
5. JSerra: The Lions’ returnees include junior Katherine Nowak who was All-Trinity League first team last season and junior Makayla Ziegler who was all-league second team.
6. San Juan Hills: Megan Hodges is coming off of a great freshman season in which she was All-South Coast League first team and All-County fourth team.
7. Crean Lutheran: The Saints, featuring All-Crestview League junior Jaylin Kim, will challenge for the league championship.
7. Edison: The Chargers, who have All-Sunset League first team junior Kate De Jong back, beat Huntington Beach this week.
8. Tesoro: The Titans have wins over Corona del Mar, Dana Hills and Laguna Beach.
9. San Clemente: The Tritons have early-season wins over Laguna Beach and San Juan Hills.
10. Orange Lutheran: The Lancers, with standout setter Marley Robinson, are off to a 4-1 start.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Memphis Burnett, Santa Margarita, Sr.: Burnett last season was named to the All-Orange County second team, All-Trinity League first team and was on the All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 team.
Kaitlyn Herweg, Los Alamitos, Jr.: Herweg was All-Sunset League first team and All-Orange County second team last year.
Kate Jackson, Santa Margarita, Jr.: Last season Jackson was selected to the All-Trinity League second team and All-Orange County fourth team.
Emma Kingston, Mater Dei, Jr.: Kingston, a middle blocker who committed to Cal, was All-County second team last year.
Westley Matavao, Mater Dei, Jr.: As powerful of a hitter as they go, Matavao was All-Orange County and All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 first team last season. She committed to UCLA.
Korynn Mayo, Marina, Jr.: Mayo, a star outside hitter, last season was All-CIF-SS Division 3, All-Orange County first team and All-Sunset League first team.
Ella Olson, Newport Harbor, Jr.: Olson led the Sailors in kills and digs last season when she was named All-Sunset League first team and All-County first team.
Layli Ostovar, Mater Dei, Sr.: Ostovar, a tremendous all-around player, was last season’s Orange County and CIF Southern Section Division 1 player of the year, and was Trinity League most valuable player. She committed to USC.
Ireland Real, Santa Margarita, Jr.: The hard-hitting Real earned All-Orange County first-team and All-Trinity League first-team recognition last season.
Marley Robinson, Orange Lutheran, Jr.: The Lancers setter was All-Orange County and All-Trinity League first team.