The only source of optimism for the elite eight teams selected to compete in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 girls volleyball playoffs is that it’s not a single-elimination tournament.
Instead, Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei, Huntington Beach, Mira Costa, Marymount, Redondo Union, Los Alamitos and Temecula Valley will compete in pool play beginning Wednesday to determine the two programs that will advance to the Division 1 final, scheduled for Nov. 9 at Cerritos College.
Additional pool-play matches are scheduled for Oct. 29 and Nov. 2, with the winner of each four-team group going head-to-head to decide the championship.
The teams in this year’s field have accounted for the past six Division 1 titles, including three for reigning champion Mater Dei (31-4), which achieved a sweep of Mira Costa in last year’s final. Six of the Division 1 programs enter the postseason ranked nationally by multiple media outlets.
Despite Sierra Canyon (30-3) being swept by Mater Dei on Sept. 21 at the Durango Fall Classic, the Mission League champion Trailblazers earned the top seed over the No. 2 Monarchs, placing them in opposite pools.
Mater Dei, led by junior Layli Ostovar, sophomore Westley Matavao and senior Presley Kiffin, hasn’t lost to a California opponent when competing with its complete roster this season.
The Monarchs endured three losses in the first month of the season without Matavao and Ostovar in the lineup, but their only setback in October came against Scottsdale Horizon in the National Division Platinum Bracket semifinals at the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona.
Mater Dei girls volleyball | Robert Kleinke photo
Sierra Canyon, led by senior Lauren Lynch and sophomores Eva Jeffries and Hanna McGinest, won the Division 1 title in 2022 after capturing the Division 4 crown in 2016 and Division 3 championship in 2017.
Huntington Beach (30-4), the No. 3 seed, and No. 7 Los Alamitos (31-6) split a pair of five-set battles during the regular season and shared the Sunset-Surf League title.
But the Oilers and Griffins were placed in the same pool, along with Trinity League champion Mater Dei and No. 6 Redondo Union (25-9), the 2019 Division 1 champion, which is led by juniors Abby Zimmerman, Taylor Boice and Rowan DeVore.
Huntington Beach, led by senior Taylor Ponchak along with juniors Ellie Esko and Addison Williams, and Los Alamitos – featuring seniors Katy Foley, Ashley Repetti and Ronni Lyons – will square off for a third time Oct. 29.
Mira Costa (25-6) won the Bay League and earned the No. 4 seed behind the contributions of juniors Audrey Flanagan, Simone Roslon and Milly McGee, pairing the Mustangs with Sierra Canyon, as well as No. 5 Marymount (31-6) – the Division 1 champion in 2021 – and No. 8 Temecula Valley (16-3), which shared the Southwestern League title with Murrieta Valley.
Marymount’s lineup is highlighted by juniors Sammy Destler, Elle Vandeweghe and Olivia Penske.
Temecula Valley, which only faced Huntington Beach during the regular season at the Dave Mohs Tournament among the other teams that qualified for the Division 1 field, is led by seniors Maddy Snow and Alison Chapin, in addition to junior Savannah Sheridan.
The other nine remaining Southern Section girls volleyball playoff brackets are all single-elimination draws, with Saugus (38-1) receiving the top seed in Division 2, Rosary Academy (19-7) in Division 3, Santa Fe (26-8) in Division 4, Loma Linda Academy (22-2) in Division 5, South Pasadena (10-15) in Division 6, Paraclete (17-14) in Division 7, Charter Oak (14-15) in Division 8, South El Monte (15-12) in Division 9 and Delphi Academy (11-5) in Division 10.