It was a showdown against a Texas team, but Mater Dei was able to bounce back for the win against Cornerstone Christian after its first loss of the season to Santa Margarita on September 30.
The No. 1-ranked team added another tournament championship after beating Cornerstone Christian 25-23, 22-25, 15-10 to win their second straight Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, AZ on October 3.
Sophomore Jael Smith has a standout performance for the Monarchs, earning tournament MVP honors. Teammates Saaliyah Brown and Riley Stringer also earned all-tournament recognition.
Getting to the championship match took another three-set effort against Mira Costa in the quarterfinals. Mater Dei then swept Xavier College Prep to secure its place in the final.
The Phoenix event featured 96 teams across three divisions, with each team scheduled for seven matches over two days.
Mater Dei returns to its league schedule with a visit to JSerra on Thursday, October 8.