This week we have some league updates, Players of the Week to honor, the CIF-SS coaches poll to review, and matches to watch…along with an update on Vista Murrieta’s trip to the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona:
Nike Tournament of Champions
After a tough Southwestern League loss to Temecula Valley the Vista Murrieta volleyball team made a short drive to Arizona for the Nike Tournament of Champions. Day 1 (Friday) saw the Broncos go 0-3 in pool play. They then lost a qualifying match on Saturday morning which put them into the Bronze bracket where they went a respectable 2-1 in bracket play to finish at 2-4 for the weekend against a solid field.
League Updates
Ivy
Paloma Valley took care of business this week with a four-set win against Elsinore and a sweep at Hemet to start the second round of league play. They finished the week with a one match lead over Rancho Christian, who had a four-set win over Riverside Poly.
Southwestern
Temecula Valley had the week they needed to keep their league title hopes alive with two weeks left. On Tuesday they had to survive a five-set scare from Murrieta Valley and then after a 25-14, 25-15, 25-14 sweep of the Broncos that took a little over an hour, found themselves tied for first place at 5-1 with Vista Murrieta. Murrieta Valley is a match behind at 4-2.
They also own the tiebreaker over the Broncos which might be necessary should a tie need to be broken because five of the six Southwestern League teams are in CIF-SS Division Two for playoff action. Madison Snow and Savannah Sheridan each recorded a dozen kills in the win while Sheridan added three aces.
Majestic
Cornerstone Christian’s impressive turnaround under area veteran Paul Amoy passed its biggest test so far this season with a 3-0 sweep of Calvary Baptist/La Verne (ranked sixth in the CIF-SS Division Nine polling from Monday, September 25) by scores of 25-18, 25-10, 25-18 on Thursday, Sept. 28. Presleigh Gaudy had nine kills with nine aces while Kaylee Galyon had nine kills with 15 digs to lead the Crusaders offense. Sonoma Miller had five kills on eight attempts and hit .625% in the win while setter Kaylin Woolet had 21 assists and three solo blocks. The two teams will meet again in La Verne on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Mountain Pass
Hemet West Valley, after surviving a pair of five set scares against San Jacinto and Liberty in the first round of Mountain Pass League play, fell to the Tigers on Thursday, Sept. 28 by scores of 25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 25-19 and took their first loss of the league year. With two weeks to go West Valley and Tahquitz are tied at 5-1, Liberty is a match behind at 4-2 after a 3-1 win at Perris and hosts San Jacinto along with Tahquitz next week in what amounts to an elimination week for the Bison.
South Valley
On Tuesday, Sept. 26 the Temecula Prep volleyball team made a trip to Desert Christian Academy with the South Valley League title at stake and came home with a 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 25-17 win. With two weeks left in the regular season the Patriots have a two-match lead on the Conquerors and as of the Sept. 25 CIF-SS Coaches Poll are ranked second in Division Eight.
CIF-SS Polls:
As of Monday, Sept. 25 five Valley News area teams find themselves ranked in their division’s top ten. Paloma Valley is ranked eighth in Division Four, Linfield Christian is second in Division Six, Temecula Prep is second in Division Eight, California Lutheran is eighth in Division Eight and Tahquitz is also tenth in that division.
In addition to that group there are four other teams receiving votes in their respective divisions. Rancho Christian leads the way in Division Five, West Valley (Division Six), Liberty (Division Eight), and Cornerstone Christian (Division Nine) also received votes.
Matches to Watch:
San Jacinto at Liberty and Tahquitz at Liberty
Mountain Pass League
Tuesday, Oct. 3, and Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 P.M.
Simply put, the Bison need a 2-0 week to keep their hopes of a Mountain Pass League title alive. They got a win on the road at San Jacinto but were swept in rather convincing fashion by the Titans in their first meeting. Will the home floor make a difference the second time around?
Vista Murrieta at Murrieta Valley
Southwestern League
Thursday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 P.M.
After Temecula Valley’s 3-0 sweep of the Broncos Murrieta Valley has a new life in the chase for the Southwestern League title.
Ivy League
Paloma Valley at Rancho Christian
Friday, Oct. 6 at 5:30 P.M.
Despite 25 kills from Savannah Thomas, it was Paloma Valley taking the first matchup between ranked Ivy League opponents in last week’s CIF-SS polling. That first matchup was also played during Rancho Christian’s retreat week. It’ll be a three-match week for the Eagles who also play Elsinore and Hemet.
Players of the Week:
Savannah Sheridan, Temecula Valley
The Golden Bears needed a 2-0 week to keep their league title hopes alive and that’s exactly what coach Neemias Costa’s team got behind 3.3 kills per set from Sheridan. In a five-set win over Murrieta Valley on Tuesday she recorded 14 kills along with 12 kills and three aces in the Thursday sweep of defending league and CIF-SS Division Two champion Vista Murrieta.
Kaylin Woolett, Cornerstone Christian
Woolett, a senior setter, guided a balanced Crusader attack to a sweep of Calvary Baptist (CIF-SS Division Nine sixth ranked team as of September 25) and in that win recorded 21 assists with 3 solo blocks. After winning just two matches a year ago a young Crusaders roster with just three seniors finds themselves atop the Majestic League with two weeks to go.
Derryl Trujillo can be reached by email at socaltrekkie@gmail.com.
