SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – It’s a familiar setting for the St. Margaret’s girls volleyball program.
After sweeping Quartz Hill of Lancaster, 3-0, in the semifinals Tuesday night, the Tartans will face Academy League rival Sage Hill in the Division 3AA championship game.
It’s the third time in four years that the two have met with a CIF championship on the line. (The site and time for this year’s final will be announced by the CIF-SS on Wednesday.)
“Third time in four years is pretty good,” outside hitter Emily Miller said. “If you asked me at the beginning of the season if we would make it, I wouldn’t have been sure.”
It took a full team effort for the Tartans to sweep Quartz Hill, 25-16, 27-25, 25-21.
St. Margaret’s was led by its defense, which shined in battling back to steal the second set. When the Rebels thought they had found open floor with an attack, the Tartans found a way to get someone there to dig it out.
“It was scrappiness and defense that got us through,” Miller said. “It’s not one person, it’s a team effort. We don’t have to put the pressure on one person, if someone goes down, we have the whole team to pick them up.”
Miller led the charge with 16 kills and 17 digs. Peyton McRobie added eight kills and 17 digs while Charlotte Duran orchestrated the offense with 33 assists.
Gabrielle Benck added four blocks to go with her nine kills.
St. Margaret’s gained early momentum with a 12-3 swing midway through the first set as Miller and Benck began to warm up.
The Tartans (26-3) closed it out on a 5-1 swing.
However, the Rebels (28-2) came out fired up in the second set behind the right arm of outside hitter Ifeoma Ufondu, who contributed four early kills as Quartz Hill took a 12-6 lead.
Miller helped the Tartans chip away offensively and Benck tied the set at 21-21 with a kill from the middle. A block by Miller made it 24-24.
A pair of Quartz Hill errors eventually led St. Margaret’s to a 2-0 lead.
The Tartans jumped out in the third set, but allowed Quartz Hill to keep hanging around with errors.
“They’re a very good team, they pushed us,” Tartans coach Susie Maga said. “Defense wins matches and I think us not letting balls drop and not giving up at key times was pivotal in the win.”
Duran helped St. Margaret’s regain its footing, assisting the final four Tartans’ points as they swept their way into the finals.
Ufondu led the Rebels with 13 kills, while setter Lindsey Blasius totaled 30 assists.
St. Margaret’s has played Sage Hill twice in the Academy League, but fell in both contests.
The team is hoping that the third time is the charm.
“I just want us to play well,” Maga said. “Whether we win or lose I want us to go out fighting and working hard like we have every other match.”
Contact the writer: npercy@ocregister.com
