Winning back-to-back titles is one of the toughest feats in sports, yet the Mater Dei High girls volleyball team made it look easy Saturday night, sweeping Sierra Canyon, 25-20, 25-16, 25-20, at Cerritos College to defend its CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship.
Orange Lutheran transfer Westley Matavao had 12 kills and seven digs, USC-bound Layli Ostovar had 11 kills and 10 digs and Kayla Ostovar added 15 digs for the Monarchs (35-4), who won their fifth section title under coach Dan O’Dell. They also won the title in three sets for the second straight year.
“Last year’s team was better at passing, but this year we utilized all six players hitting in a 6-2 and all six of them can get kills,” O’Dell said. “We’re definitely better than we were at the start of the season.”
Addison Coady had five kills and two blocks in a final between the top two seeds that was over in 86 minutes.
“We beat them at Durango [tournament], but we knew they’d be ready and we expect to get the best from every team we play,” Coady said. “It was the same mindset we always have. It was less about keying on their weaknesses, more about not making errors on our side. We were up for the challenge.”
Mater Dei breezed through its three pool play matches without losing a set. In contrast, the Trailblazers played two five-setters, losing one, on their way to advancing on set differential. Eva Jeffries had seven kills and seven digs for the Mission League champions (32-5).
“Sierra Canyon definitely had a tougher pool … making it out of that gantlet with Marymount and Mira Costa took a lot out of them,” O’Dell said. “They’re a great team, they just had an off night.”
The Division 2 final earlier in the day was anything but one-sided as Murrieta Valley managed to hold off a furious Palos Verdes comeback to prevail in five sets, 25-23, 25-14, 20-25, 14-25, 15-12. The Division 3 final also went the distance before Long Beach Poly edged Bishop Diego, 25-27, 25-23, 16-25, 25-14, 25-12. The first match of the day saw Bell Gardens make quick work of Garden Grove, 25-15, 25-9, 25-9, in Division 8.
In Division 4, Campbell Hall swept host Newbury Park.
Meanwhile, in the City Section, No. 1 Taft outlasted No. 2 Venice in epic fashion, 22-25, 25-17, 25-16, 17-25, 17-15, at Cal State Northridge to capture its first Open Division crown and sixth overall. The Toreadors (40-7) finished the season undefeated against section opponents.
University beat Western League rival LACES, 25-15, 24-26, 25-15, 25-16, to take the Division I title. It was the Wildcats’ fourth City crown.
Vaughn swept Triumph, 25-17, 25-9, 25-20, for the Division II title (the White Tigers’ second ever) and Reseda beat Arleta, 25-14, 25-13, 21-25, 25-8, in the Division III final, the first section title for the Regents.