Redondo’s girls volleyball team may have a different look than the one that captured CIF Southern Section and State titles in 2014, but the Sea Hawks have not skipped a beat.
Coach Tommy Chaffins squad has not lost a set this season surrendering no more than 20 points in andy set while posting a 10-0 record.
In a rematch of last year’s CIF-SS Division 1AA and Southern California Regional championship matches, Redondo swept visiting Mater Dei 25-17, 25-20, 25-20 Thursday evening.
Redondo never trailed in the first set and, after falling behind 10-7 in the second set, scored five unanswered points to take a lead it would not relinquish.
The Sea Hawks took their first lead in the third set at 6-5, then rolled to a 20-9 lead before holding off a late Mater Dei rally.
“The kids are playing really well and there’s a nice rhythm they’ve established,” Chaffins said. “We’ve been playing at a high level and don’t tend to make many errors. Our defense has been great.”
Redondo lost four outstanding players from last year’s championship squad, including Gatorade California Player of the Year Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani, yet the Sea Hawks are an experienced team generally starting five seniors, one junior and a freshman.
“We have a dynamic freshman (Kyla Doig) and (junior) Maddie Relaz has been playing at a high level,” Chaffins added. “We’re getting great performances from all our players which is what we need because we don’t have the same kind of firepower as last season. We understand that the best chance for us to win is to be tenacious on defense and out-grind people and I think we’re doing a wonderful job of that.”
Three-time All-CIF setter Norene Iosia recorded 26 assists against Mater Dei, spreading the ball around for an offense led by senior Megan Rice who had 17 kills.
“We went into this match knowing they were going to give it their all because of last year,” Rice said. “I think our rhythm is great right now. Katie (Barkley) and Amanda (Tsao) played great defense all night so we were able to run our offense really well. Norene was putting it up there and making plays.
“I think our experience from last year has carried over into this season and has helped us through adversity. We struggled a little in the second set but calmed down and won.”
While Barkley, Relaz and Tsao were anchoring the defense, Doig and senior Kacey Baker helped with the offense with nine and five kills, respectively. Relaz added four aces for the Sea Hawks.
Doig finds herself in a rare spot as a freshman starter on a Chaffins-led team.
“I feel really good out there,” Doig said. “I love my teammates and they’ve been so supportive of me. It’s just an awesome opportunity to play with Norene and Megan. I feel comfortable starting but am working hard to improve hitting around the block and getting both hands over the net to enhance my blocking game.”
Redondo was coming off a tournament championship, winning the 32-team Lakewood/Molten Volleyball Classic with a 25-20, 25-17, 25-14 victory over Lakewood in the finals on Tuesday.
The Sea Hawks defeated West Torrance, St Joseph, Esperanza, Los Alamitos before avenging last year’s four-set loss to Lakewood in the Molten title match, the first of only two losses Redondo suffered during its 2014 State Championship season.
Redondo will play four consecutive road matches before competing in the Seventh Annual NIKE Tournament of Champions Oct. 1-3 in Phoenix, Ariz. where 80 of the most elite teams in the nation will compete.
The Sea Hawks travel to take on Orange Lutheran on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and Bishop Montgomery on Thursday, Sept. 17. both matches start at 6 p.m.
While Redondo was taking care of Mater Dei, three miles to the north Mira Costa was making quick work of longtime rival Marymount.
The Mustangs (2-0) capitalized on early leads in each set to sweep the Sailors 25-12, 25-17, 25-15, showing they’re ready to make a run for the CIF-SS Division 1AA title.
Junior Alexa Underwood continued to be Mira Costa’s kill leader this season, recording 12 kills and 15 digs. Senior setter Erin McCarthy added 19 assists and 2014 Bay League Libero of the Year anchors a stingy defense.
Prior to competing in the prestigious Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. Sept. 18-19, Mira Costa will play at South Torrance (No. 1 in CIF-SS Division 2AA) in a 5:15 p.m. match on Wednesday.
Mira Costa is ranked No. 5 in the CIF-SS Division 1AA pre-season poll. Marymount entered Thursday’s match ranked No. 6.
