Long Beach Wilson Works Quickly

The bus ride in rush-hour traffic took more than twice as long as it took the Long Beach Wilson High girls’ volleyball team to eliminate host Van Nuys in the first round of the state Division I volleyball playoffs Tuesday night.

The fourth-seeded Bruins, the Southern Section Division I-AA runners-up, needed only 52 minutes to sweep the Los Angeles City Section champions for the second consecutive year, 15-2, 15-7, 15-7.

Sophomore Cynthia Barboza, who also plays on the U.S. junior national and youth national teams, led Wilson (34-3) with 19 kills, three more than Van Nuys’ entire team. Setter Alli Dillon had 29 assists and Meghan MacRae had 13 digs and three aces, one of which ended the first game.

“They were more offensive than they were when we played them last year,� Dillon said of Van Nuys (31-3). “They concentrated more on defense last year, but this time they had a couple of solid setters and tried some different things. But we still had the mind-set that we would come here and play our game.�

Fifth-seeded Van Nuys, which won its second consecutive City title Friday, led, 4-1, in the second game before Wilson answered with a 12-2 run. The Bruins built a 7-0 lead before Van Nuys managed a side out in the third game and led, 13-0, before the Wolves scored seven consecutive points to make the score respectable.

Senior outside hitter Hala Hadawar, who led the City Section in kills, had three kills and three aces against Wilson.

“We were anticipating playing them again,� Hadawar said. “We knew they had big guns. We knew they were better than the teams we’ve been playing. Every one of us had to play with heart. I can’t believe this was my last high school match.�

Wilson will play Los Alamitos, a 15-8, 15-13, 15-6 winner over La Costa Canyon, in a second-round game on Saturday.

-- Steve Galluzzo

Encinitas Torrey Pines 3, Huntington Beach Marina 0 --Torrey Pines High was not about to let Marina march into its gym and do damage this time around.

Torrey Pines, which hosted Marina in a 1998 Southern California Regional girls’ volleyball opener in which it was upset, took only 1 hour 15 minutes to dispatch the Vikings, 15-12, 15-4, 15-2, in a Division I match.

“They took it to us and never let up,� said Coach Jeff Caughthran, who led the Vikings to an upset of Manhattan Beach Mira Costa in the Southern Section Division I-A championship match last week.

Outside hitter Rachaell Johnson and setter Tyler Bowman had 11 kills each for Torrey Pines (25-6), which upset Carlsbad La Costa Canyon in the San Diego Section Division I final to earn the right to host the regional opener. Johnson added five blocks and an ace.

Becky Green, who like Johnson, has signed a letter of intent with UCLA, had 11 kills for Marina (20-5).

-- Paul McLeod

Santa Ana Mater Dei 3, Escondido 0 -- Mallorie Croal had 15 kills, 11 digs and six aces to lead the second-seeded Monarchs (29-8) to a 15-11, 15-2, 15-11 victory over Escondido (26-7) in a Division II first-round match at Mater Dei.

South Torrance 3, Escondido San Pasqual 1 -- Ashley Hardwick had 31 kills and 24 digs to lead the visiting Spartans (23-9) to a 15-12, 15-8, 12-15, 15-8 upset over fourth-seeded San Pasqual (34-5) in a Division II first-round match.

Bishop Montgomery 3, La Jolla 1 -- Noelle Quinn had 15 kills and 11 blocks to lead the No. 1-seeded Knights (26-8) to a 15-2, 15-2, 9-15, 15-5 victory over La Jolla (23-13) in a Division III first-round match at Bishop Montgomery.

North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake 3, Exeter 0 -- Alexandra Dunphy had 30 assists and Justine Davidson had 14 kills to lead the second-seeded Wolverines (28-5) to a 15-11, 15-11, 15-8 victory over Exeter (30-4) in a Division III first-round match at Harvard-Westlake.

Los Angeles Marymount 3, Bakersfield Garces 0 -- Stecha Selsky had 10 aces to lead the No.-1 seeded Sailors (27-4) to a 15-3, 17-15, 15-4 victory over visiting Garces (28-11) in a Division IV first-round match.

Flintridge Sacred Heart 3, Chowchilla 0 -- Kacey Knauf had seven kills, eight blocks, 12 digs and 26 assists to lead the visiting Tologs (21-5) to a 15-7, 15-9, 15-12 upset of fourth-seeded Chowchilla (24-8) in a Division IV first-round match.