Prep volleyball preview: Mater Dei chases rare three-peat in top playoff division

Los Angeles Times

8 hours ago

As the 2025 high school girls volleyball campaign gets underway, no program in the Southland is garnering as much attention as Mater Dei — and for good reason.
Led by reigning Coach of the Year Dan O'Dell, the Monarchs have won back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division 1 titles and are trying to become only the second team in section annals to capture three straight in the top playoff division.
The first school to three-peat in the highest division was Newport Harbor, which won three straight Division 1AA titles from 1997-99 under coach Dan Glenn.
Spearheading Mater Dei's chase for history are reigning Player of the Year Layli Ostovar, a senior outside hitter committed to USC for beach and indoor, and fellow All-CIF outside hitter Westley Matavao, who flourished as a sophomore for the Monarchs following a mandatory sit-out period after transferring from Orange Lutheran.
Matavao, an early commit to UCLA, had 12 kills in the final of the Durango Classic in Las Vegas in September and was named the tournament MVP. She ended last season with 276 kills (3.5 per set) and 284 digs in 80 sets. Last Tuesday, the junior picked up right where she left off, pounding 15 kills and serving three aces in a season-opening four-set triumph over San Clemente.
Ostovar was the team's kill-leader last fall with 337. Her sisters — setter Ayva and libero Kayla — graduated in the spring, but the Monarchs bring back three strong middle blockers in Addison Coady, Emma Kingston and Sierra Robinson.
Mater Dei won back-to-back Division 1 crowns in 2017 and 2018 (also under O'Dell) but its bid for three in a row ended with a four-set loss to Redondo Union in the finals in 2019.
Should it pull off a trifecta, this year's squad would equal the feat the Monarchs achieved in capturing three straight Division IIA titles from 2001-03 under Craig Pazanti, currently the boys and girls coach at his alma mater, Huntington Beach.
The biggest threat to Mater Dei's supremacy in the Trinity League figures to be Santa Margarita, which returns All-CIF outside hitters Ireland Real (a U19 USA Volleyball team member who had 543 kills as a sophomore for the Eagles last fall) and Memphis Burnett. Orange Lutheran returns setter/hitter Marley Robinson and JSerra's attack is led by opposites Katherine and Charlotte Nowak.
Redondo Union is one of several teams with the firepower to dethrone Mater Dei. The Seahawks established themselves as the favorites in the talent-laden Bay League by finishing runner-up at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii for a second straight time, falling to Byron Nelson of Texas in Saturday's championship match. On its march to the Gold Division final, Tommy Chaffins' squad ousted JSerra, league rival Mira Costa and Sierra Canyon.
The Seahawks are flying high thanks to Cal-bound outside Abby Zimmerman, libero Addi Junk and opposite hitter Avery Junk (twins who are Florida State beach commits) and All-CIF middle blocker Taylor Boice (UC Irvine). Zimmerman is one of the most well-rounded players in California and last season's stats prove it: 429 kills, 259 digs, 63 blocks and 57 aces.
Mira Costa wants revenge after getting upset by Redondo Union in the CIF-SS beach finals on May 3 and the Mustangs from Manhattan Beach are more than capable with a stable of outside hitters that includes Audrey Flanagan, Simone Roslon and Cayenne Ceman, and USC-bound setter Milly McGee. Flanagan pounded 478 kills a year ago and is headed to Wisconsin. Roslon has committed to Stanford and Ceman has committed to Northeastern. Despite the graduation of Taylor Decker (now at USC), who was a three-year starter at libero, Mira Costa has gone undefeated in league four years in a row and is determined to extend that streak.
The last school not named Mater Dei to win the top prize in the Southern Section was Sierra Canyon, which swept Mira Costa in the finals in 2022. The Trailblazers are contenders once more with junior outside hitters Hanna McGinest (452 kills in 2024) and Eva Jeffries (415 kills), both of whom are daughters of former pro athletes. The roster also features Missouri commit Lucky Fasavalu (who can both set and hit) and two junior transfers—middle and Nebraska commit Kendall Omoruyi and hitter McKenna McIntosh, a USC commit.
Defending the Mission League crown will be a challenge for Sierra Canyon because Marymount is itching to unseat its archival, having dropped three meetings with the Trailblazers last season. Returning for the Sailors are hitter Sammy Destler (a Washington commit), setter Olivia Penske (a Georgetown commit), middle Elle Vandeweghe (a Southern Methodist commit) and junior pin hitter Makenna Barnes.
Cari Klein coached Marymount to six straight titles (five in Division IVAA and the last in IA) from 2001-06 — still the section record — and three consecutive from 2010-12 (the first two in 1A and the last in 1AA, then the top division).
Huntington Beach lost All-CIF libero Olivia Foye (now at Princeton) but outside hitter Addison Williams (a Hawaii commit) and the Oilers will battle for the Sunset League crown with Los Alamitos, which is paced by libero Kaitlyn Herweg.
Murrieta Valley and Palos Verdes clashed for the Division 2 title last year but both rosters look significantly different. All-CIF sophomore hitter Summer Tukua returns but the champion Nighthawks graduated eight players, including MVP Miley Thunstrom. Palos Verdes lost three All-CIF players: top hitter and Stanford commit Kaci Demaria, LSU beach commit Molly LeBreche and UCLA beach commit Mallory LaBreche.
Under coach Arman Mercado, defending City Section Open Division champion Taft won 40 or more matches in each of the three previous seasons, but the core of that group graduated last spring, including Co-Players of the Year Aleiah Carr and Francine Baltazar-Shine, libero Gianella Tijamo and All-City outside hitter Eva Velarde. Returning are defensive specialist Jasmine Orellana, setter Alexa Barajas and opposite Laila Braimah.
Open Division finalist Venice returns All-City first-teamers Gaia Adeseun-Williams and setter Kaya Richards and second-team pick Samantha Lortie. Palisades is hungry for its first title in five years with hitter Tulah Block and libero Lucy Neilson.