High school volleyball is kicking off its second act in most of the country as postseason play is underway or set to begin across the land. No. 1 Marymount (Los Angeles) looks to take its first step toward its ninth California state title on Wednesday as CIF Southern Section Division 1 play begins.
Elsewhere across the country, most states are transitioning to win-or-go-home bracket play or completing the regular season with senior night festivities.
All that adds up to a heightened importance to quickly close out opponents as fortunes can rise ... and fall ... in the pressure-packed moments.
An example of that comes in Indiana's Class 4A bracket, where Roncalli downed Yorktown, the former No. 6 team in the rankings, for a berth in the state semifinals. The Royals got 17 kills from Olivia Murphy in the four-set win over the Tigers, who end their season 29-4.
Emma Halter, Roncalli
Photo by Shawn Barney
The Sailors prepared for their CIF Southern Section opening game.
Elia Rubin led a squad that was perfect in the regular season and won the Durango Fall Classic, the Nike TOC Southwest and GEICO Girls Invitational.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Harvard-Westlake
2. (3) St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), 49-1Highlights: The Golden Lions opened Georgia AAAAA postseason play with sweeps over Woodland and Jonesboro.
Avery Brown averages 9.3 assists per set.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. McIntosh
3. (4) Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 35-0Highlights: The Titans head to the postseason unbeaten taking on the North Platte-Omaha South winner on Tuesday in the Class District round. The finals are scheduled for Wednesday.
Stella Adeyemi and
Lauren Medeck have fueled the PLVS hitting attack with a combined 639 kills.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. North Platte
4. (5) Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 44-1Highlights: The Mustangs added five more wins over the weekend in the East vs. West challenge and head to the Catholic High School League Bishop finals against once-ranked Mercy.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Mercy
5. (7) Brandeis (San Antonio), 39-2Highlights: A year after coming up short of the 6A finals, the Broncos appear ready for a strong push through the UIL playoffs behind senior leaders
Jalyn Gibson and
Carlee Pharris.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Madison
6. (8) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 33-4Highlights: The Monarchs begin their CIF postseason Wednesday vs. Sierra Canyon in the Southern Section Division 1 bracket. A finals showdown with No. 1 Marymount looms.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Sierra Canyon
7. (9) Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac, Mich.), 57-1Highlights: The Fighting Irish went 5-0 at the Williamston Invite over the weekend and await district postseason play.
Next: Nov. 3 vs. TBD
8. (10) Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas), 33-6Highlights: The Leopards swept Denison and gutted out a five-set victory over McKinney North, winning 16-14 in the deciding set.
Rosemary Archer,
Hannah Gonzalez,
Lauran Richards and
Grace Milliken all hammered double-digit kills in the win while
Mckenna Brand and
Ava Camacho each tallied 23 digs, and
Averi Carlson tossed up 43 assists.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Rock Hill
9. (2) Flower Mound (Texas), 34-5Highlights: The Jaguars stumbled as the regular season finale approaches, losing five-set matches to 28-7 Marcus and 27-7 Plano West.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Hebron
10. (12) Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 30-5Highlights: The Rockets made quick work of Eastern in the 7th Regional opening round. Assumption draws Sacred Heart in the next round with an Oct. 28 finals berth on the line. The teams have split two meetings this season, each winning 3-0.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Sacred Heart
11. (13) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 30-4Highlights: The Dons beat Scripps Ranch to end the regular season and open with the Falcons in the CIF San Diego Section Open Division bracket.
Next: Oct. 30 vs. Scripps Ranch
12. (14) Marin Catholic (Kentfield, Calif.), 24-2Highlights: The Wildcats swept Branson to win the Marin Catholic Athletic League title and enter the CIF North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs as the No. 1 seed.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Bethel
13. (15) Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 28-0Highlights: The Trojans are riding a 48-match win streak that extends to October 2019. Wayzata is the top seed in the AAAA Section 5 bracket, which begins this week.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Park Center
14. (19) Hudsonville (Mich.), 43-2-1Highlights: The Eagles kept rolling, passing the 40-win plateau with five wins over the past week.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Caledonia, Oct. 27 vs. Grand Haven, Nov. 1 vs. Holland
15. (18) North Raleigh Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.), 25-2Highlights: The Knights are the top seed in the NCISAA 4A bracket. They swept Saint Mary's in their first postseason contest and look poised to grab their seventh straight state title.
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Wake Christian Academy
16. (20) Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.), 36-1Highlights: The Kingsmen won a four-set thriller over Munster in the 4A Regional Championships. Senior
Janet Moala and junior
Macy Hatkevich lead Penn, which is two wins from its third state title and first since 2011.
Next: Oct. 30 vs. McCutcheon
17. (21) Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 44-3Highlights: The Titans blitzed Warner Robins in the AAAAA bracket, winning 25-4, 25-10, 25-3 as
Ashlynn Barnes posted 20 assists. A win over 42-13 Harris County would set up a state semifinal showdown with either No. 2 St. Pius X Catholic or 23-12 McIntosh.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Harris County
18. (22) Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), 37-0Highlights: The Blues' quest for a 6A state title continued with a sub-state regional title. Washburn Rural handled Topeka 25-10, 25-10 before handling Garden City 25-5, 25-9.
Next: Oct. 29 vs. Shawnee Mission Northwest, Oct. 29 vs. Hutchinson in 6A pool play
19. (23) Sequoyah (Canton, Ga.), 49-3Highlights: Rosa Fisher hammered 16 kills and
Sara Siefert added nine in the sweep of Houston County in the AAAAAA second round.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Kennesaw Mountain
20. (24) Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 34-3Highlights: The Saints grabbed the sub-state regional title with wins over Washington and Bonner Springs behind senior hitter
Ava Martin.
Next: Oct. 29 vs. vs. Seaman, Oct. 29 vs. Emporia in 5A pool play
21. (25) Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 25-1Highlights: Rachel Johnson had 13 kills while
Zeta Washington added 12 and
Chelsea Sutton had 11 as the Sharks won the 6A District 4 title, advancing to the main bracket as the top seed in Region 1.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Booker T. Washington
22. (17) Victor (N.Y.), 41-1Highlights: The Blue Devils lost their first match of the season, falling 3-1 to Penfield before running off sweeps of St. Mary's and Irondequoit.
Next: Oct. 30 vs. TBD
23. (NR) Har-Ber (Springdale, Ark.), 31-1Highlights: The Wildcats downed rival Fayetteville for the second time this season, beating the Bulldogs in five sets.
Kat Cooper and
Kyla Clubb each had 20 kills while
Jordan Benford added 13.
Caylan Koons served up 53 assists in the victory.
Next: Oct. 27 vs. Northside-Rogers winner
24. (NR) Nolensville (Tenn.), 43-4Highlights: Freshman
Kaira Knox pounded 13 kills as the Knights grabbed their third straight Tennessee state title, but their first in the AAA classification.
Next: Season over
25. (NR) Roncalli (Indianapolis), 28-5Highlights: The Royals flushed previously-ranked Yorktown from the 4A postseason regional championships with a thrilling 3-1 win.
Olivia Murphy led the attack with 17 kills while
Sarah Lezon and freshman
Logan Bell each had 14 kills and
Faith Burch chipped in 10. Burch led the team in assists with 32 while
Monica Jones added 28 while libero
Emma Halter had 36 digs.
Next: Oct. 30 vs. Castle
On the bubble: McCutcheon (Lafayette, Ind.), 28-6;
Walton (Marietta, Ga.), 24-6;
Steinbrenner (Lutz, Fla.), 24-3;
Martin (Arlington, Texas), 33-2;
Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.), 29-1;
Leon (Tallahassee, Fla.), 23-4;
V.R. Eaton (Fort Worth, Texas), 31-3;
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 27-5;
Lakewood (Calif.), 24-3;
St. Mary's Dominican (New Orleans), 34-1
