Sierra Canyon girls volleyball team denies three-peat bid by Mater Dei, captures CIF-Southern Section Division 1 title

NORWALK – Winning a CIF-Southern Section Division 1 girls volleyball title is a big enough deal for any program.

But beating Mater Dei in order to become champion makes the achievement extra special.

Such was the case Saturday night for top-seeded Sierra Canyon, which knocked off Mater Dei with a 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-21 victory inside a packed Cerritos College gym.

Post-match interviews

Not only was Mater Dei the two-time defending Division 1 champion, but the Monarchs were attempting to earn the school’s ninth title, as well as their first three-peat since 2001-03.

Mater Dei was also seeking the first three-peat by any school in the top division since Newport Harbor in 1997-99.

The championship was the fourth in school history for the Trailblazers, and it was also the first time the program had ever beaten Mater Dei, in its ninth matchup with the Monarchs.

Sierra Canyon won its fourth CIF-Southern Section girls volleyball crown, including its first in Division 1 since 2022, by defeating Mater Dei at Cerritos College | Photo courtesy of Pete Marshall

“What is that phrase, ‘Monkey off my back?’” Sierra Canyon coach Stefanie Wigfall said. “That’s really what it is. You start to get into this space where you’re like, ‘Am I ever going to get this done?’ Because the one time we did win the D-1 championship was the one year (Dan O’Dell, Mater Dei coach) wasn’t in the final.

“A win against him in any facet, is a huge accomplishment. It means we’re moving in the right direction. It means we are looking and evaluating the right things in the match. Because you have to coach well against Dan.”

Sierra Canyon’s balanced attack was a challenge for the third-seeded Monarchs.

Not only did Sierra Canyon have four players with double figures in kills, but that quartet of juniors: 6-foot outside hitter Hanna McGinest, 6-3 outside hitter/opposite Eva Jeffries, 6-4 middle blocker Kendall Omoruyi and 6-1 outside hitter McKenna McIntosh combined for 47 kills and an attack percentage of .276.

The architect of running that offense was junior setter Lucky Fasavalu, who had 40 assists. Fasavalu disguised her sets well enough that the Monarchs had difficulty timing their blocks.

“For me, it’s so amazing, so relaxing, just to have so many weapons on the court,” Fasavalu said. “Everyone’s a weapon and they all want the ball. And they want to get that point for us.”

Sierra Canyon atoned for being swept by Mater Dei in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 girls volleyball final last year by defeating the Monarchs in four sets at Cerritos College | Photo courtesy of CIF-Southern Section

McIntosh transferred from Stockton St. Mary’s and Omoruyi arrived from Arizona this year to help add depth to the lineup for the Trailblazers, who were swept in last season’s final against Mater Dei at the same venue.

“They present the biggest challenge of any team you’re going to see in the country,” O’Dell said. “They keep you on your toes and having a setter like Lucky who knows how to feed them, mix it up, you can’t key on any one kid. They’re a really well-balanced team.”

The Monarchs closed out the first set with junior Westley Matavao recording kills on the final two points, but it was the Trailblazers who were clutch in the final points of the last three sets.

Mater Dei led the second set 21-20 before Sierra Canyon won five of the final seven points, capped by a McIntosh kill.

The third set saw a pair of significant runs. Trailing 15-9, Mater Dei scored nine straight points, forcing Wigfall to use both of her timeouts during that stretch. But the Trailblazers answered by scoring eight of the final 10 points to secure the set.

The fourth set was a little more straightforward as the Trailblazers opened a 20-15 lead, saw the Monarchs close to within a point, before Sierra Canyon held on.

“I think we need to make sure we can get big kills at the end of the games,” O’Dell said. “Each team had swings to take the sets. We had chances to take all those sets. I don’t think we put balls away at the end of the game.”

Westley Matavao of Mater Dei hits against Lucky Fasavalu from Sierra Canyon during the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College | Photo courtesy of CIF-Southern Section

Omoruyi and McIntosh had 13 kills apiece for Sierra Canyon, with Jeffries and McGinest adding 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Omoruyi also had seven blocks, with Jeffries contributing five blocks.

“I feel like that’s the most important thing is executing when it matters and we practice that all the time and we’re prepared,” Jeffries said.

Mater Dei was led by Matavao and senior Layli Ostovar, who had 15 kills apiece, and senior Emma Kingston, who had 14 kills. But Mater Dei made 28 hitting errors as a team, compared to only 17 for Sierra Canyon.

Although Saturday was the first matchup this season between the schools, it might not be the last.

The teams are the top two seeds in the CIF State Open Division Southern California Regional playoffs, which begin Wednesday. A potential rematch could occur Nov. 18 in the regional final.