Redondo will play Carlsbad in a home district game on Thursday, May 16 at 6 p.m.
Written by Garth Meyer
RUHS boys volleyball took second place in the CIF Southern Section on May 11 with a 3-0 loss to Santa Margarita. 25-21, 26-24, 25-18.
The Division 2 championship was Santa Margarita College's first since 2001 and the school's fourth overall in men's volleyball. Ethan Saint led the Eagles with a game-high 24 kills.
In the second set in Norwalk, Redondo took a set point at 24-22 to tie the match.
Moments later, Santa Margarita, a Catholic high school in Rancho Santa Margarita, tied the game and took a 24-25 lead on a block by freshman Chase Wallin. The Saints then blocked Redondo's Robert Bennett and the game was over.
RUHS lost 2-0 in the best-of-five match against Cerritos College.
The third set has begun. Santa Margarita's Saint spiked Redondo into the middle of the court to make it 6-6.
Redondo's Bennett had a diagonal kill to make it 10-9, giving RUHS the lead. Then RUHS senior Luke Goldman jumped. Saved Larry before the next ball hit his forearm – he couldn't save it – the ball He soars off the court, past the Seahawk cheerleaders in the bleachers, and bounces back into the gymnasium. wall. 13-9 Santa Margarita.
Redondo sophomore Cash Dessert then made a strong block to give the Eagles the lead.
Sun responded to Santa Margarita's 6:03 jump with a spike in front of the Redondo bench on the RUHS sideline.
wide?
A brief argument ensued and the phone was directed to Santa Margarita. According to the referee, the ball missed the blocker.
“Let's go, let's go, let's go!” They are called RUHS cheerleaders.
The senior Saint made a pinball block between three Redondo players to trail 14-11. RUHS Goldman then hit a crosscourt slam to make it 14-12. Goldman then hit a ball from Santa Margarita's Wallin to make it 14-13.
Saint jumped up, floated and hit another slam to make it 15-13.
Then Brooks Ignossi of the Eagles got a leanback kill and Redondo's Essert served into the net to make it 18-14 for Catholic.
The set was still winnable, CIF still had a chance to win against Redondo, and Saint served well. length. Wallin's slam put him up 19-15, and another kill from Ignosi put him at 20-16.
Goldman then saved a RUHS rally to make it 20-17, and the Seahawks' Drew Blair hit his serve into the net. Dessert was required to use a two-handed carry when attempting a kill, making the score 22-17, but a piledriver cut the lead to four points.
On the next point, the RUHS crowd gathered for a block – you could tell – but the referee ruled that one of the redshirt players had touched the net.
With the Eagles up 23-18, RUHS senior Tyler Ravenscroft hit a cross-court slam that missed wide, 24-18.
Timeout RUHS. It was a championship point.
Back on the floor, Santa Margarita's Blake Herman served. Ace.
CIF officials presented CIF-SS plaques to the winners, and RUHS cheerleaders removed the red and white painted signs. Both teams advanced to the state regional playoffs.
To advance to the Division 2 Southern Section finals, Redondo Union defeated Pacifica Christian/OC, Dos Pueblos and Beckman.
In volleyball, a game is called a set.
RUHS coach Kevin Norman said of Santa Margarita's loss, “I think it would be a different story if we won the second set,'' noting that his feelings changed after the second set. “We played pretty well in that game, but we lost.”
Norman was best friends with Ethan Saint's father when they were in middle school in Calabasas. Saint has committed to play volleyball at the University of California, Santa Barbara next year.
“We've struggled this season with players on opposing teams that are unstoppable,” Norman said.
“Every team we're going to play is going to have some big players.”
Redondo Union opened regionals Tuesday with a first-round win over Chatsworth. They advance to the semifinals at home against Carlsbad on Thursday night at 6 p.m.
“I'm proud of the team for getting this far,” Norman said. “Our mantra is that you have to serve and pass better than anyone else. Defensive intensity – You can’t drive anything into the ground without maximum effort. When it comes to offensive intelligence, We're not the biggest team.”
If RUHS wins Thursday, it will advance to the regional final, which will also be played at home. E.R.
