REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Laguna Beach Faces Unseeded St. Joseph

Top-seeded Laguna Beach will face one of its toughest matches of the season tonight when the Artists play host to unseeded Lakewood St. Joseph in the Southern California Regional Division I girls’ volleyball playoffs.

Second-round matches in five divisions are at 7:30 tonight. Regional finals are scheduled Tuesday, with the winners advancing to the State finals against the Northern California Regional winners Dec. 7 at Cal State Fullerton.

It will be the first meeting this season between Laguna Beach (23-2), the Southern Section 5-A champion, and St. Joseph (17-1). St. Joseph, the top-ranked team in 5-A all season, was eliminated in the Southern Section semifinals by El Toro.

But the Jesters, the Angelus League champions, rebounded Tuesday night with a three-game victory over Pacific Palisades in a first-round regional match.

In another Division I match, unseeded El Toro (19-4) will play at second-seeded Arroyo Grande (21-0).

In Division II, second-seeded La Habra (22-2) will play host to third-seeded Encinitas Torrey Pines (21-4).

La Habra, which won its third consecutive 3-A title last Saturday, is aiming for its third Division II title in a row.

Only three schools have won three State titles. Manhattan Beach Mira Costa in Division I (1982, ‘85, ‘89), Rim of the World in Division II (1981-83), and Francis Parker in Division III (1986-88).

In Division III, third-seeded El Modena (21-2), the 3-A runner-up, will play at second-seeded San Diego University (22-1) at 3 p.m. today.

Unseeded Whittier Christian (17-3) will play at top-seeded Long Beach St. Anthony (21-3) in Division IV. In Division V, unseeded Capistrano Valley Christian (17-2) will play at third-seeded Carpinteria Cate (21-5).