Redondo remained on track in its quest for a second straight CIF-Southern Section Division 1AA girls volleyball title but hopes for a rematch with rival Mira Costa were dashed when the Mustangs lost a hard-fought quarterfinal match on the road Saturday night.
Top-seeded Redondo (32-3) swept host Chaparral 25-17, 25-7, 25-20 and will host sixth-ranked Huntington Beach (30-4) in a 7 p.m. semifinal match on Tuesday. The Oilers upset fourth-seeded Santa Margarita 25-13, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23 in the quarterfinals.
Megan Rice led Redondo against Chaparral recording 16 kills and fours blocks. Freshman Kyla Doig added 12 kills and five blocks, Kacey Baker had nine kills and three blocks and Maddie Relaz contributed eight kills. Setter Norene Iosia recorded 35 assists, nine digs and four aces.
The CIF-SS Division 1AA championship will be held Saturday at Cerritos College.
Third-seeded Mira Costa (30-6) ran into an old nemesis in fifth-ranked Mater Dei who, for the second consecutive season, defeated the visiting Mustangs in the quarterfinals.
The 19-25, 25-20, 29-27, 26-24 loss at Mater Dei ended a successful season for Mira Costa who reclaimed a share of the Bay League title by defeating Redondo for the first time in four years and also won the Elite Division championship at the seventh annual Queens of the Court tournament at the American Sports Center in Anaheim.
The Mustangs also had a strong performance at the prestigious Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, finishing fifth with their only loss coming in four sets to Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), the second-ranked team in the state.
“Overall we had a great season,” Mira Costa coach Hayley Lawson-Blanchard said. “The girls improved a ton over the course of the few months and it was really great to watch them come together as a team.  I hope they will always cherish the memory of beating Redondo. I plan to do that again for many years to come, but this will always be the team that changed the tide and brought the Bay League back to us.”
Amanda Montag led Mira Costa with 17 kills in another classic match against Mater Dei. There were 14 lead changes in the third set with each team having three set points.
Mater Dei (25-7) will host second-seeded Great Oak (26-3) in the semifinals.
“Mater Dei was a tough loss because we were right there and know that we are the better team,” Lawson-Blanchard said. “But we can’t go back in time so have to move on and get ready for next year. We will miss our nine seniors dearly and wish them luck and love in the end of their senior year and off at college.”
There will be an all-South Bay semifinal match in Division 2AA when defending champion South Torrance (22-13) hosts second seeded Chadwick (22-3) on Tuesday.
South entered the postseason ranked sixth in the division and defeated third-seeded Esperanza 25-17, 16-25, 25-17, 25-16 Saturday night.
Chadwick eliminated San Luis Obispo 25-20, 25-17, 25-22 in its quarterfinal match and will face South for the second time this season. Chadwick defeated South in five sets on Oct. 14.
Brackets and results are available at cifss.org.
