Mira Costa faces a tough test Saturday when it faces Valencia in a match that will determine first place in the Southern Pacific Girls’ IBVL (Interscholastic Beach Volleyball League) sanctioned by the AAU.
The winner of the match, to be played at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, will be in the driver’s seat to claim the inaugural championship as both teams enter the third week of competition with identical 3-0 records.
After an opening-round win against Palos Verdes, Mira Costa defeated Marymount 2-1 and Marlborough 3-0 in the second week of league play.
The Mustang’s second and third team preserved the victory over Marymount (2-1) after Lan Nguyen and Katie Warshaw fell Marymount’s Christine Irvine and Olivia Rodberg 21-14, 20-22, 15-9 in a match of No. 1 teams.
Mira Costa’s No. 2 team of Skylar Caputo and Keala Rusher defeated Juliette Luini and Grace Campbell 21-16, 21-12, and the Mustang’s third duo of Lindsay Chalmers and Katrina Kernochan outplayed Reni Meyer-Whalley and Katie Kidder 21-18, 21-11 to keep Mira Costa’s unblemished record intact.
Mira Costa went on to sweep Marlborough (0-3) and will face winless Carson in its first match on Saturday. Carson was swept by Palos Verdes, who had handed El Segundo its first loss earlier in the day.
The Mustangs conclude the regular season with matches against El Segundo and Harvard-Westlake at Dockweiler Beach on April 28.
Complete schedules are posted at www.aaa-volleyball.d4sportsclub.com.
