10 local teams qualify for CIF Southern Section girls' volleyball playoffs

Corona del Mar's Nikki Senske goes low for a dig against Trabuco Hills during the first set in a nonleague match on Aug. 22.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Oct. 19, 2019 7:17 PM PT

The CIF Southern Section released its pairings for the girls’ volleyball playoffs on Saturday.

A total of 10 local teams will compete in the postseason, but the area squads will have some tough draws ahead of them.

Of the local qualifiers, only Surf League champion Corona del Mar High ended the regular season ranked in its division. The Sea Kings (21-5) concluded the season at No. 10 in Division 1, and they will open the playoffs on the road at Southwestern League champion Vista Murrieta (19-10).

The first round of the CIF girls’ volleyball playoffs is scheduled to be played on Thursday, with all games scheduled as 6 p.m. starts, unless a new time is mutually agreed upon by the competing schools.

Three Sunset Conference teams received the last three spots in the top division. In addition to the Sea Kings, unranked Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach also were included in the 12-team Division 1 bracket.

The top four seeds – No. 1 Redondo Union, No. 2 Los Angeles Marymount, No. 3 Mater Dei and No. 4 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon – received byes in the first round.

Wave League champion Laguna Beach (30-9) will host Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (26-9), which was the third-place team in the Bay League.

Huntington Beach (24-12) won a tiebreaking match on Wednesday over Los Alamitos for second place in the Surf League. The Oilers will open the playoffs on the road against Crestview League champion Foothill (24-5).

Edison (16-16) achieved a .500 record despite going winless in Surf League play. The Chargers earned an at-large selection into the Division 2 bracket, and they will travel to face Baseline League champion Rancho Cucamonga (17-10) in the first round.

Fountain Valley (17-11), the second-place team in the Wave League, will open the Division 3 playoffs on the road at St. Margaret’s (21-6). The Tartans shared the San Joaquin League title with Saddleback Valley Christian.

Sage Hill (9-19, third in the San Joaquin League) will take on host Westlake Village Oaks Christian (14-14, third in the Marmonte League) in a Division 3 wild-card match on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The winner goes on to face top-seeded Ontario Christian (28-3), the Ambassador League champion, in the first round of the main draw on the road.

The Lightning will be the area’s only team competing in the wild-card round.

The Division 5 bracket will feature Costa Mesa and Ocean View, two teams that earned automatic bids by finishing in second place in their six-team leagues.

Orange Coast League representative Costa Mesa (20-10) will host Riverside J.W. North (14-17) in the first round.

Golden West League runner-up Ocean View (11-14) will also be at home against Troy (15-11), which was the third-place team in the Freeway League.

Pacifica Christian Orange County (15-10), the second-place team in the Academy League, travels to face Glendale Holy Family (15-9, second place in the Horizon League) in the first round.

Liberty Christian (7-14, second place in the Western League) will play host to Victor Valley Christian (9-8, second place in the Agape League) to begin the Division 9 playoffs.