The opening rounds of the CIF Southern Section girls’ volleyball playoffs delivered intense matchups and mixed results for local teams as championship hopes were put on the line. While some squads fought their way into the next round, others saw their impressive seasons come to a close.
In a Division 2 opener that pitted two league champions against each other, the Rancho Christian Eagles (29-4) hosted Rosary Academy (23-10). The match was a back-and-forth battle from the start. Rancho Christian jumped out to an early lead, taking the first set 25-16. However, the teams would trade set wins for the remainder of the contest, pushing the match to a decisive fifth set. The Eagles found their footing when it mattered most, securing a 15-8 victory in the final frame to advance.
The win marked Rancho Christian’s 16th consecutive victory. Their journey, however, concluded in the second round on Thursday, Oct. 23. The Eagles traveled to face San Marcos of Santa Barbara and were defeated in a 3-0 sweep, ending their season.
Meanwhile, in the highly competitive Division 1 bracket, the Temecula Valley Golden Bears hosted Oaks Christian for a tough first-round contest. The Golden Bears had to dig deep after dropping the first set 22-25. After evening the match with a tight 26-24 win in the second set, Temecula Valley took the third 25-22. In the fourth set, they faced a significant 18-12 deficit. A crucial run, sparked by kills from sophomore Larkin Deinhammer and key serves from freshman Juliana Goodin, brought the Golden Bears back into contention. The team ultimately closed out the match with a 25-23 fourth-set win.
Senior outside hitter Savannah Sheridan led Temecula Valley with 15 kills, while Anaya Francois added 14. The victory guarantees the Golden Bears a spot in the upcoming CIF State playoffs. Their immediate focus, however, is a quarterfinal match against top-seeded Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
A local clash in the second round of the Division 4 playoffs saw the Linfield Christian Lions (17-7) host the San Jacinto Tigers (21-7). The Lions controlled the tempo from the outset, earning a convincing 3-0 sweep. Linfield Christian’s consistent performance improved with each set, as demonstrated by the scores of 25-21, 25-17, and 25-14. The victory was their third straight and ended an 11-match winning streak for San Jacinto. Linfield Christian now advances to the quarterfinal round, where they will play Oak Park on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
Other area teams also competed in the CIF-SS playoffs through Thursday evening. In Division 2, Murrieta Mesa’s season ended with a 3-0 loss to Bishop Montgomery. Paloma Valley advanced in Division 4 with a 3-2 win over Cerritos. In Division 7, Cornerstone Christian fell 3-0 to Bell Gardens, and in Division 10, Lakeside was defeated by Mesa Grande Academy in a close 3-2 match.
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