The two best high school girls’ volleyball teams in California, and possibly America, will meet for the Southern Section Division 1 volleyball title at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Cerritos College, where top-seeded Mater Dei takes on second-seeded Sierra Canyon.
The Trailblazers from Chatsworth and Monarchs from Santa Ana are meeting in the finals for a third consecutive season. Mater Dei swept the title match in 2024 and Sierra Canyon prevailed in four sets last November.
Both teams are loaded with talent. Mater Dei is led by UCLA-bound outside hitter Westley Matavao, middle blocker and Cal commit Emma Kingston, libero and San Francisco State commit Savanah Capinpin and outside hitters Saaliyah Brown (Long Beach State) and Katherine Nowak (Georgetown). Sierra Canyon counters with Missouri-bound setter Lucky Fasavalu (Matavao’s cousin), Nebraska-bound middle blocker Kendall Omoruyi, Tennessee-bound opposite hitter Eva Jeffries and outside hitters McKenna McIntosh (USC) and Hanna McGinest (Texas Tech).
Mater Dei (38-1) dealt the Trailblazers their only loss, 25-18, 25-17, in the gold division final at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas on Sept. 19. The Monarchs’ lone defeat came 11 days later at Trinity League rival Santa Margarita. Sierra Canyon (32-1) swept Santa Margarita in nonleague play Sept. 16.
In the preceding Division 2 final at 3:30, Redondo Union takes on Long Beach Poly in a rematch of the teams’ nonleague meeting just before the playoffs in which the visiting Jackrabbits (28-7) prevailed in five sets. Pacing the Sea Hawks (22-11) is libero Addison Choi, who is committed to play beach volleyball at Oregon. Poly is led by Irvine-bound outside hitter McKennah Iamaleava.
West Valley League rivals Taft and Cleveland will battle for the City Section Open Division championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Birmingham High. Mayli Hernandez had 22 kills in the fourth-seeded Toreadors’ five-set semifinal upset of No. 1 Venice. Taft (33-7) is making its fourth finals appearance in five seasons and is chasing its sixth title. AnaJoleen Bell and fellow hitter Cate Friedman lead the third-seeded Cavaliers (31-11), who beat Taft twice in league play and are after their first section crown.