Mater Dei captured back-to-back CIF-Southern Section Division 1 girls volleyball titles, despite not being the top seed.
In order for the Monarchs to repeat as Open Division state champions for the first time in program history, they will also have to achieve the feat as a No. 2 seed.
Cathedral Catholic (42-3), which captured a fourth consecutive CIF-San Diego Section Open Division crown Saturday with a 25-18, 25-23, 25-15 sweep against Torrey Pines at Southwestern Community College, received the top seed in the eight-team Open Division Southern California regional and will begin its pursuit of a state championship Wednesday against No. 8 Los Alamitos (32-8).
Mater Dei (35-4), which produced a 25-20, 25-16, 25-20 sweep Saturday of Sierra Canyon at Cerritos College, will face No. 7 Torrey Pines (28-8) – the 2019 Open Division state champion – in Wednesday’s regional quarterfinals.
Mater Dei girls volleyball | Photo courtesy of Mater Dei
Mater Dei is attempting to become the first program with three Open Division girls volleyball state titles since its inception in 2016.
The Monarchs are also trying to become the first school to secure consecutive Open Division crowns since Archbishop Mitty in 2016-17.
Mater Dei prevailed in the regional final last year against Cathedral Catholic, before knocking off Archbishop Mitty in the Open Division state final.
Cathedral Catholic won the Open Division state championship in 2022, completing a 42-0 season, and is the only program in San Diego Section history to win four straight Open Division titles.
The Dons prevailed in their lone matchup this season against Mater Dei, a 25-14, 28-30, 16-14 victory Sept. 7 in the final of the Dave Mohs Tournament in Huntington Beach.
Mater Dei competed without sophomore Westley Matavao – an Orange Lutheran transfer – against Cathedral Catholic, with the Monarchs going unbeaten against California competition with their full lineup, including junior Layli Ostovar, who had a match-high 13 kills against the Dons.
Matavao had a match-high 12 kills against Sierra Canyon in Saturday’s section final.
Sierra Canyon (32-5) received the No. 3 seed and will match up against No. 6 Mira Costa (27-7).
The Mustangs outlasted Sierra Canyon with a 22-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-16, 15-12 victory Nov. 2 in their Southern Section Division 1 pool-play showdown.
Redondo Union (27-10) was awarded the No. 4 seed and will square off against No. 5 Marymount (33-7).
The Sailors emerged victorious in five sets Aug. 20 against Redondo Union in their lone regular-season meeting.
Ross Branson (22-4), which swept Marin Catholic 25-17, 25-12, 25-14 in the CIF-North Coast Section Open Division final Saturday, earned the top seed in the Northern California Open Division regional playoffs and will compete Wednesday against No. 8 Rocklin (37-5).
Ross Branson girls volleyball | Photo courtesy of Ross Branson
Mountain View St. Francis (28-5), which won the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division crown Saturday against St. Ignatius, received the No. 2 seed and will play host Wednesday to No. 7 Stockton St. Mary’s (27-6).
St. Francis reached the 2022 Open Division state final and was swept by Cathedral Catholic.
St. Ignatius (22-13) secured the No. 3 seed, and is scheduled to face No. 6 Clovis North (38-5), which swept Clovis West 25-14, 25-17, 25-23 on Nov. 7 in the CIF-Central Section Division 1 final.
Marin Catholic (25-7) was awarded the No. 4 seed and will match up against No. 5 Archbishop Mitty (26-6), last year’s regional winner and a 14-time state champion, most by any program in California girls volleyball history.
The regional semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the regional finals Nov. 19 and the Open Division state championship Nov. 23 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.