Chaparral’s Lady Pumas volleyball team, pictured here earlier this season, won the Inland Classic Volleyball tournament at Grand Terrace High School, Saturday, Aug. 27. Valley News/Courtesy photo
By Derryl Trujillo —
SOUTHWEST RIVCO — A pair of Temecula volleyball teams in Great Oak and Rancho Christian had already combined to take home three tournament titles heading into the Inland Classic Volleyball tournament at Grand Terrace High School Saturday, Aug. 27.
Chaparral (6-0) was the area’s lone entry as coach Gale Johnson’s team brought home the title, making it four tournament titles for the city of Temecula in this non-league season.
In the morning pool play session, the Lady Pumas defeated Arrowhead Christian, San Gorgonio and Rancho Verde while beating King during the tournament title match.
Matches against King (Big VIII) and Arrowhead Christian (Ambassador League) went the three-set distance that featured five of seven matches teams can report on CIF-SS playoff information. The section does not count one set to twenty-five matches which are sometimes used in tournament play.
Bella Rittenberg earned tournament MVP honors for the Pumas.
With the win over King, the Southwestern League remains undefeated against the Big VIII with Great Oak at Roosevelt (Monday) and Murrieta Valley at Norco (Friday), both this week.
Chaparral picks up non-league play this week with a match at Palm Desert, and at home against Vista del Lago. Southwestern League play for Chaparral, Great Oak, Temecula Valley, Murrieta Mesa, Murrieta Valley and Vista Murrieta gets started Monday, Sept. 12.
Derryl Trujillo has been a local sportswriter since 2018 and is the 2019 IEBCA Supporter of the Year award winner. He can be reached via email at socaltrekkie@gmail.com. Valley News Sports Editor, JP Raineri, contributed to this article.
