Girls volleyball beat Sierra Canyon High School 3-1 to win the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Regional Playoffs on Nov. 16, making the team the CIF Division I (DI) Regional Champions. The team now has an overall record of 29-8, finishing its Mission League season 6-2. Outside Hitter Ava Lange ’23 said the win represented the team’s progress throughout the season.

“[Winning the championship] showed how all our hard work has paid off, how great our sportsmanship is, how well we work together, and so much more,” Lange said. “The fact that we won in [four matches] is huge, especially in a championship game.”

After losing to Marymount High School in the CIF Southern Section Playoffs, the team qualified for the regional tournament, and beat Westview High School 3-0, Torrey Pines High School 3-0 and Redondo Union School 3-1 to make it to the championship match. Lange said she is grateful for the loss to Marymount in the playoffs because it helped fuel the team’s run in the regional tournament.

“I feel that every time we play Marymount, we are given an opportunity,” Lange said. “They are the best team in the nation, and I feel so honored to play them and be able to experience competition like that. After playing them it only makes [our team] want to win and fight back.”

Setter Katie Caras ’23 said the team was able to move forward from the loss in playoffs, setting a clean slate with the regional tournament.

“The team’s mentality going into the regional playoffs was very positive,” Caras said. “We were super excited for the opportunity to win Division I State Regionals, so we set our goals and worked hard in practice.”

The team plays Hillsdale High School in the CIF DI State Final on Nov. 19 at Santiago Canyon College. Lange said the team needs to keep its momentum going into the match in order to emerge victorious.

“We need to continue playing how we have been for the past few games,” Lange said. “We have been playing our best all season and our stats prove it.”

Caras said with the trials and tribulations of the team’s season thus far, it will be ready for anything in the state final. 

“There are always things a team will need to work on, but we have focused and worked so hard these past couple weeks,” Caras said. “We should be ready for any game as long as a focused and excited mindset is there.”