Everything lines up for Mater Dei boys volleyball team, which knocks off Peninsula to grab CIF-Southern Section Division 2 title

SANTA ANA — What a difference a year and one spot in the rankings can make.

Perhaps no boys volleyball program in the CIF-Southern Section benefited from that scenario this season more than Mater Dei, and the host Monarchs took full advantage Friday night in the Division 2 final against Peninsula.

After being swept in all three Division 1 pool-play matches in last year’s playoffs, the top-seeded Monarchs produced an impressive run to secure the Division 2 championship, overcoming a slow start to prevail against Peninsula in a 20-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-19 victory at the Meruelo Athletic Center to secure the program’s first title since 2011.

Mater Dei boys volleyball coach Jake Nuneviller and junior setter Jake Newman | Photo courtesy of Mater Dei

Mater Dei (27-12-2) received the No. 8 seed in the top division last season and suffered setbacks against Newport Harbor, Huntington Beach and eventual champion Loyola.

But the Monarchs, who won their fifth consecutive Trinity League crown, were the No. 9 overall program in the final regular-season rankings this year and received the top seed in Division 2.

Mater Dei dropped only two sets in four postseason contests, the other in a May 7 quarterfinal triumph against Huntington Beach Edison, and secured its second championship after outlasting Santa Margarita in five sets in the 2011 Division 1 final.

The Monarchs had lost their first three section championship matches in 2000, 2001 and 2009, before their breakthrough 14 years ago.

Peninsula (21-10) was making its second appearance in a section final after capturing the Division 3 crown by defeating Quartz Hill in 2019.

The Panthers survived five-set showdowns against St. John Bosco and second-seed Santa Margarita in the first two rounds of the playoffs, before a four-set semifinal victory over No. 3 St. Margaret’s, before squaring off with Mater Dei for the first time since 2016.

Peninsula scored six of the first seven points in the match and built a seven-point advantage at one stretch during the first set, capitalizing on five missed serves — among 16 total in the contest — and an additional 14 hitting errors by the Monarchs.

Bennett Smith, a junior outside hitter, contributed nine of his match-high 19 kills in the second set for Mater Dei, which also relied on 12 team blocks and five aces to continue to build momentum into a convincing third-set victory.

Smith also had 12 digs, matching junior setter Jake Newman, who also led the Monarchs with 47 assists, in addition to three kills.

Mater Dei won its second CIF-Southern Section boys volleyball title in program history | Photo courtesy of Mater Dei

Drake Harris, a senior outside hitter, had eight of his team-high 15 kills in the fourth for Peninsula, which cut the deficit to 20-15, before senior middle Cameron Massoudi took control late in the set by collecting three of his four kills to secure the championship.

Jeremiah Potasi added 15 kills and five digs, with Dylan Gallagher contributing 10 kills and three blocks, and Jack Jadon recording nine kills as part of a versatile Mater Dei offensive attack.

The Monarchs are scheduled to play host Tuesday to a regional playoff match, seeking their first victory in the CIF state tournament since knocking off Clovis North in their Division 2 opener in 2011.