SATURDAY’S CIF-SS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
DIVISION 1
SIERRA CANYON (34-3) VS. MATER DEI (30-4)
Where, when: Cerritos College, Saturday, 6 p.m.
Admission: $7-$14 at GoFan.co
Parking: $10 at Cerritos (use QR code on parking lot signs)
Outlook: Mater Dei tries for a third straight CIF-SS girls volleyball championship. The Monarchs swept Sierra Canyon in last season’s Division 1 final for their eighth CIF-SS title in the sport and fifth under Coach Dan O’Dell. Mater Dei went 6-0 in the four-team Trinity League to win the league championship. After a first-round bye, Mater Dei swept Harvard-Westlake in the first round and Corona del Mar in the quarterfinals. Junior outside hitter Westley Matavao has a team-high 333 kills. The UCLA commit was All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 last season. Senior outside hitter Layli Ostovar has 219 kills. Ostovar, who is committed to USC, was last season’s Orange County player of the year and the CIF-SS Division 1 player of the year. Mater Dei takes a 16-match winning streak into the final. Sierra Canyon went 10-0 in the Mission League and also takes a 16-match winning streak into the final. The Trailblazers have won three CIF-SS girls volleyball championships. Sierra Canyon senior outside hitter Hanna McGinest has a team-high 425 kills. She was All-CIF Division 1 last season. Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon, like all teams that reach the CIF-SS girls volleyball finals, have qualified for the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs.
DIVISION 2
WEST RANCH (25-5) VS. SANTA MARGARITA (23-10)
Where, when: Cerritos College, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Admission: $7-$14 at GoFan.co
Parking: $10 at Cerritos (use QR code on parking lot signs)
Outlook: Santa Margarita has won seven CIF-SS girls volleyball championships, most recently in 2016. The Eagles tied JSerra for second place in the Trinity League. In the playoffs, Santa Margarita swept Los Osos in the first round, beat Chaminade 3-1 in the second round, swept Redlands in the quarterfinals and swept Long Beach Poly in the semifinals. Outside hitter Ireland Real, a 6-4 junior, has been selected to the U.S. Girls U19 National Team and has committed to Texas. Real and senior outside hitter Memphis Burnett were All-CIF Division 2 selections last year. West Ranch, a public school in Valencia, is making its debut in a CIF-SS girls volleyball final. The Wildcats went 12-0 in the Foothill League. They beat three Orange County teams on their way to the division final. West Ranch swept Tesoro in the first round and Roosevelt in the second round, beat Orange Lutheran 3-2 in the quarterfinals and swept JSerra in the semifinals. Santa Margarita split its two league matches against JSerra and beat Orange Lutheran twice in league.
DIVISION 3
FOOTHILL (27-10) VS. CYPRESS (20-12)
Where, when: Cerritos College, Saturday, 10 a.m.
Admission: $7-$14 at GoFan.co
Parking: $10 at Cerritos (use QR code on parking lot signs)
Outlook: Foothill is in a CIF-SS girls volleyball final for the first time. The Knights finished second to Crean Lutheran in their first season in the Freeway League. In the playoffs, Foothill swept Aliso Niguel and South Pasadena before beating Corona del Mar 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Flintridge Prep 3-1 in the semifinals. Foothill senior outside hitter Haley Langdon was All-Crestview League first team last year. Cypress won its only CIF-SS girls volleyball championship in 2007 and was a runner-up in 1998. The Centurions went 6-2 in the Crestview League to tie Sunny Hills for the league championship. Cypress in the playoffs swept Riverside Poly and Long Beach Wilson before a 3-1 win over Millikan in the quarterfinals and a 3-2 win over St. Margaret’s in the semifinals. Cypress senior outside hitter Isabella Faro was a Freeway League co-MVP last season. Cypress and Foothill did not play each other during the regular season.
DIVISION 10
MORENO VALLEY (16-15) VS. ANAHEIM (16-12)
Where, when: Anaheim High, Saturday, 6 p.m.
Admission: $7-14 at GoFan.co
Outlook: Anaheim is in a CIF-SS girls volleyball final for the first time. The Southern Section began having girls volleyball championships in 1972. The Colonists finished third in the Orange League with a 7-5 league record. In the playoffs they swept Joshua Springs, Hueneme and Rosemead before beating Ojai in five sets in the semifinals. Moreno Valley was the CIF-SS Division 9 champion in 2023. The Vikings this year finished second in the Inland Valley League. In the playoffs they swept Mesrobian and Bassett, beat Glendale Adventist 3-2 in the quarterfinals and beat San Luis Obispo Classic 3-1 in the semifinals.
Anaheim girls volleyball going for first CIF Southern Section championship