The playoffs are here or looming for many high school volleyball teams across the country. That means, for the most part, it's win or go home.
Except for three MaxPreps Top 25 teams in the CIF Southern Section Division I round robin bracket. That's because it's the second year where the eight teams in the pool battle for the section title but all advance to the Southern California Regional Championships.
The pool winners meet for the section title and could very well meet again to represent SoCal in the CIF Open Division finals. Or San Diego Section's
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), the No. 7 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 and reigning MaxPreps National Champion, could spoil those plans.
One MaxPreps Top 25 team fighting for its playoff life in a do-or-die scenario is No. 3
Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.). The Royals won sectional play over the weekend to extend their win streak to 63 matches dating back to last season. MaxPreps National Player of the Year candidate
Lauren Harden leads HSE into the regional semifinals and championship on Saturday. Two wins on Saturday moves them to semi-state on Oct. 28.
Sophomore Layli Ostovar has been a key component for Mater Dei this season. Ostovar and Isabel Clark fuel an offense that the Monarchs heading into the postseason as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25. (Photo: Jann Hendry)
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 35-2 |
Last week: 1
Closed out the regular season with a sweep of Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) as
Layli Ostovar pounded 16 kills and
Julia Kakkis dished up 31 assists.
2. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Record: 35-2 |
Last week: 2
Sophomore
Audrey Flanagan had 16 kills in a 3-0 win over Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) to end the regular season.
3. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)
Record: 29-0 |
Last week: 3
The Royals swept Zionsville and Noblesville to win the Section 8 title over the weekend on their quest for an Indiana 4A title. Next up: Harrison on Saturday in the Regional Semifinals.
4. Grand Oaks (Spring, Texas)
Record: 40-1 |
Last week: 4
Samara Coleman had 12 kills in a sweep of New Caney while sophomore
Samantha Sampson had 14 assists. The Grizzlies have three regular-season contests left before entering what is sure to be a loaded 6A postseason field.
5. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 30-4 |
Last week: 5
The Lions roared past Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) and John Paul II (Plano) last week with three games left in the season before they look to repeat as TAPPS 6A champions.
6. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.)
Record: 33-0 |
Last week: 6
Charlee Solomon and
Kyla Dyrstad combined for 34 assists in a sweep of Papillion-LaVista while
Lauren Medeck hammered 12 kills in the sweep.
7. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
Record: 28-4 |
Last week: 7
The Dons wrap up regular-season play Tuesday with senior night vs. University City (San Diego) before looking toward San Diego Section postseason and Southern California Open Division playoffs. The four losses are to the Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 teams in the MaxPreps Top 25.
8. Boyd (McKinney, Texas)
Record: 27-1 |
Last week: 8
Carson Eickenloff (13) and
Eva Schneider (11) combined for 24 kills in a sweep of Prosper as Eickenloff dished up 26 assists and
Sara Quigley added 21.
9. Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.)
Record: 32-3 |
Last week: 9
The Knights begin AAAA postseason play with 17-21 Seckinger (Buford) on Wednesday. The grabbed the Area 5 AAAA title after sweeping Lovett (Atlanta) as
Ellie Siskin had 16 kills and
Lawson Monroe and
Grace Agolli each added 11 while Agolli also had 23 assists.
10. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee)
Record: 41-1 |
Last week: 11
Senior
Sophia Wendlick had 19 kills in a sweep of Wauwatosa West (Wauwatosa) to pass 1,000 for her career as the Dashers wrapped up the regular season.
Madison Quest added 12 kills and
Jordan Czajkowski tossed 34 assists as DSHA looks for the repeat as Division I champions.
11. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 29-5 |
Last week: 13
The Rockets ended the regular season with a sweep of previous No. 11 Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills).
Emilee Fuller had 35 assists while
Charlotte Moriarty pounded 13 kills.
12. Marist (Chicago)
Record: 28-4 |
Last week: 14
Juniors
Bella Bullington and
Maddie Berry have paced the RedHawks all season as they prepare for a loaded Illinois 4A playoff field that includes three teams ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25.
13. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 33-6 |
Last week: 15
Swept through Notre Dame Academy (Los Angeles) and Marlborough (Los Angeles) to end the regular season. Up next is the CIF Southern Section playoffs with round-robin matches.
14. Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)
Record: 27-0 |
Last week: 16
The Trojans have won 37 straight dating back to last year, when they ran off 10 straight to grab the 4A title over Lakeville North (Lakeville).
15. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record: 24-4 |
Last week: 17
Sophomore
Makenna Crosson has been a driving force for the Monarchs' offense with 230 kills in 59 sets while
Katelyn Cook has added 200. They appear on a collision course in Northern California with No. 16 Saint Francis for the CIF Open Division berth.
16. Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.)
Record: 29-4 |
Last week: 18
Rebounded from a 2-0 loss to Mitty by sweeping Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep (San Francisco) as
Erin Curtis and
Taylor Williams fueled the offense.
17. Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)
Record: 31-2 |
Last week: NR
The Redwings jump into the ranking after beating Mother McAuley 2-0 in the final of Glenbard East's Autumnfest. Benet Academy, Marist and Mother McAuley should battle it out for the 4A crown this season.
18. Mother McAuley (Chicago)
Record: 29-5 |
Last week: 10
Freshman
Peyton Heatherly had 25 assists in the loss to Benet while
Ellie White pounded nine kills.
19. Hudsonville (Mich.)
Record: 36-2 |
Last week: 21
Isabelle Swiercz is popping off 4.2 kills per set (348 in 82 sets) for the Eagles, who have run off 29 straight wins.
20. Pope (Marietta, Ga.)
Record: 35-3 |
Last week: 23
Junior
Ellis Crawford had 24 kills and
Sophie Harvey added 13 in a four-set regional win over Alpharetta. Senior
Cooper Abney tossed up 38 assists in the win. The Greyhounds open the AAAAAA postseason Tuesday with 30-9 Woodstock.
21. Alpharetta (Ga.)
Record: 33-3 |
Last week: 22
Swapped places with Pope after falling in four on Friday. They open the postseason on the opposite side of the AAAAAA bracket from Pope with 28-8 Allatoona (Acworth) on Tuesday.
22. Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Ky.)
Record: 25-5 |
Last week: 11
Tumble a bit not for their three-set loss to No. 11 Assumption, but for their five-set defeat to 8-14 Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati).
23. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio)
Record: 34-7 | Last week: 20
The Warriors, who play an independent schedule, wrapped up their season with a tough five-set loss to 42-4 Dripping Springs.
Aniya Hall had 20 kills while
Megan Fitch added 18 and 17 digs in the loss.
Natalia Jackson and
Kaia Thiele combined for 50 assists.
24. Lake Catholic (Mentor, Ohio)
Record: 22-0 |
Last week: 24
Katie Sowko hammered 24 kills with 17 digs and
Claire Duricky added 13 in a regular-season ending four-set win over Gilmour Academy (Gates Mills).
Hannah Pattie had 56 assists in the victory.
25. Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Record: 39-4 |
Last week: 25
The Cavaliers have won 14 straight as senior
Avery Hamlin leads the team with 389 kills and
Camden Besecker has added 290.
Kacey Kazmierski is posting 10.2 assists per set with 1,196 for the season.
On the bubble: Seton (Cincinnati), 22-2;
Dripping Springs (Texas), 42-4;
Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.), 46-2;
Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 27-4;
Yorktown (Ind.), 26-5;
Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 46-0;
Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.), 30-2;
Northville (Mich.), 28-1;
O'Connor (Phoenix), 26-1;
Oconomowoc (Wis.), 36-3
