Mira Costa boys volleyball team continues to honor memory of Loyola’s Braun Levi following May 4 tragic death by returning to CIF-Southern Section Division 1 final

MANHATTAN BEACH – The T-shirts showcased a powerful message to “Live Like Braun.”

The remarkable performance Friday night on the volleyball court was a reminder to visiting Corona del Mar and the rest of the state about what it means to “Play Like Costa.”

Competing for the second time since the tragic death May 4 of 18-year-old Loyola High tennis standout and volleyball team manager Braun Levi when he was struck as a pedestrian on Sepulveda Blvd. by a suspected drunk driver, top-ranked Mira Costa relied on another inspired effort in its final pool-play match in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, producing a 25-13, 25-21, 25-20 victory against the No. 4 Sea Kings.

Post-match interviews

Mira Costa (32-2) secured its third win of the season against Corona del Mar (24-6), earning a return trip to the Division 1 final May 16 against second-seeded Huntington Beach (34-3) at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

The Mustangs are seeking the ninth championship in program history, including the first since 2021, also looking to atone for being swept in last year’s Division 1 final by Loyola.

Mira Costa honored Levi before Tuesday’s pool-play match against No. 8 San Clemente with a 39-second moment of silence, paying tribute to the uniform number he wore as Loyola’s team manager. Levi was also a Virginia-bound tennis star for the Cubs.

Braun Levi | Photo courtesy of Loyola

Every player in the Mira Costa program was adorned Friday in a navy blue T-shirt with the hashtag #LLB on the front and “Live Like Braun” on the back.

Despite dealing with a range of emotions throughout the week mourning the loss of Levi, the Mustangs demonstrated exceptional execution and showcased significant composure throughout the contest against Corona del Mar.

Mira Costa boys volleyball team | Photo courtesy of Mira Costa

Andrew Chapin had a match-high 35 assists, in addition to three kills and three blocks, with the senior setter spreading the attack around, as Mira Costa had four athletes contribute at least seven kills.

Mateo Fuerbringer, a sophomore outside hitter, had nine kills, but his most significant impact came in the first two sets from behind the service line.

Fuerbringer was the catalyst for a five-point run late in the opening set that stretched the advantage to 23-12, before a kill by senior Thatcher Fahlbusch and a Corona del Mar hitting error provided the Mustangs with momentum they wouldn’t relinquish.

With Mira Costa facing a 13-10 deficit in the second set, Fuerbringer again sparked a five-point run, including two aces and a kill.

Although Corona del Mar relied on one of six kills from junior Brady Gant to rally to tie the score at 17-17, Mira Costa responded with five of the next six points, including kills from Fahlbusch and Fuerbringer, in addition to a combination block from Alex Heins and Chapin.

The Sea Kings cut the deficit to three points on three separate occasions, but a service error on set point gave Mira Costa a profound advantage at home, where the Mustangs haven’t lost a match all season.

Corona del Mar scored three unanswered points to tie the third set at 7-7, but despite a team-high 10 kills and three aces from junior Ben Brown, the Sea Kings couldn’t match the offensive depth of Mira Costa the rest of the way.

Brown’s ace helped Corona del Mar make a late push to get as close as 18-17 in an attempt to extend the match, but Fuerbringer had a kill and a block, with senior Grayson Bradford adding a pair of kills to help the Mustangs secure championship appearances in consecutive years for the first time since 2007-08.

Fahlbusch had a match-high 11 kills, Heins contributed eight kills and Bradford added seven kills for Mira Costa, which also received 10 digs from junior libero Justin Warner, as well as four kills from junior Wyatt Davis.

Mira Costa boys volleyball team | Photo courtesy of Mira Costa

Gant led Corona del Mar with seven digs and junior Drake Foley recorded 20 assists for the Sea Kings, who were looking to advance to the Division 1 final for the second time in three years, following a setback to Newport Harbor in the 2023 championship match.

Mira Costa, which remained unbeaten in eight home playoff matches since the section switched the Division 1 postseason schedule to a pool-play format in 2023, has never squared off against Huntington Beach in a division final.

The Oilers, who recorded a 25-16, 25-21, 25-21 sweep Friday of Loyola, are appearing in their first championship match since 2021 and pursuing the program’s first title since capturing three consecutive Division 1 crowns from 2013-15.