SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Megan Hodges is not a one-dimensional volleyball player
Yes, she was the San Juan Hills kills leader Wednesday, with 34 of them. It was her digs and passing, too, that led the Stallions to a four-set win over Los Alamitos in a CIF Southern Section Division 1 girls volleyball first-round match at San Juan Hills High.
South Coast League champion San Juan Hills (21-5) plays in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at second-seeded Redondo Union (29-6). The season ended for Sunset League champion Los Alamitos with a 27-9 record. Only CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinalists go to the CIF Southern California Regional, so the Griffins’ 2025 season is over.
The Stallions won the first set 25-20. Los Alamitos won the second set 27-25, San Juan Hills dominated the third set 25-11 and prevailed in a wild fourth set 30-28.
Hodges is a sophomore who hits the ball with the power expected from a 6-foot-5 opposite hitter. On Wednesday she was praised by San Juan Hills coach Cassie Strickland for Hodges’all-around skills.
“She can pass,” Strickland said, “defend, blocking. She’s dominant. Great serve.
“She’s very hungry to get better.”
The San Juan Hills student section was loud and gave the Stallions plenty of energy. They picked up on the public-address announcer calling Hodges “Megantron.”
Which Hodges liked.
“I got the nickname a long time ago in school from my friends, and it stuck,” she said. “Our student section was so into it. Everyone wanted to win.”
Few points were the result of mistakes. Points were earned through quality play. Hodges praised the Los Alamitos Griffins for their part in that.
“They were a good team,” she said. “They didn’t let us get away with stuff, and we didn’t let them get away with stuff. And that’s what made this game so competitive.”
Junior middle blocker Whitney Port and junior outside hitters Brennan Hoppe and Alexis Link were among the many Stallions contributors on Wednesday.
Los Alamitos standouts Wednesday were many, too, including senior outside hitter Brynn Minter, junior middle blocker Genesis Botts and sophomore outside hitter Charlotte Hall.
The Griffins put together a 7-1 run in the second set before coming away with their 27-25 win that evened the match at one set apiece.
San Juan Hills bolted to a 6-0 lead in the third set and, with Hodges scoring on kills and blocks, went on to its 25-11 win to go ahead in sets 2-1.
Both teams had set-point opportunities in the fourth set until San Juan Hills won it 30-28.
Strickland was pleased with how the Stallions rose up to the challenge of playing in the elite Division 1 that has 12 teams playing in the 16-team bracket (four teams had first-round byes).
“The focus was really what I’m really happy about,” Strickland said. “These top teams in Division 1 are gnarly across the board.”