The CIF-Southern Section girls volleyball playoffs begin today and five Santa Clarita Valley teams are slated to take the court.
Hart, West Ranch, Valencia, Trinity Classical Academy and Santa Clarita Christian School each finished high enough in their respective leagues to earn a spot in the playoffs.
The Indians and the Wildcats shared this year’s Foothill League title but will be competing in different divisions for the postseason.
Hart will be in Division 2 and take on Los Alamitos in the first round at 6 p.m. at home. The Indians were able to split the two-match series with the Wildcats to secure a share of the league title and punch their tickets to the playoffs.
Seniors Megan Soto, Ruby Duncan and Lina Elsee have been key contributors and have at least three years of varsity experience.
In the win against West Ranch, Duncan had four blocks and 15 kills; Soto had 12 kills, three aces and 12 digs and Elsee had 23 digs.
In that same match, the Wildcats’ Allison Jacobs had 24 kills and Erin Eskoff had 23 assists. Jacobs has consistently been the leader of the team, which was undefeated in Foothill League play until its second match against the Indians.
Jacobs, a UCLA commit, currently leads West Ranch in kills with 321. Next is Kiley Gustin with 99, then Eskoff with 83. Eskoff also leads the team in hitting percentage at .419.
The Wildcats host Crescenta Valley in Division 3 at 6 p.m. The two teams have met three times previously, with West Ranch sweeping in 2007, 2008 and 2011.
Valencia, another Division 3 team, is the only Foothill League team to draw a road match for the first round. The Vikings will play South Torrance, the Pioneer League champions tonight at 6 p.m. on the road.
The Vikings had faced some adversity this season, changing coaches midway through Foothill League play when Kristin Dolan took over for Ray Sanchez, who resigned on Sept. 13.
Since then, Valencia won eight of its remaining 13 games to earn third place in the league.
Trinity Classical Academy won the Heritage League title after beating Palmdale Aerospace Academy in five games on Oct. 17.
Paige Kim, a senior, leads the team in kills with 192 and Reagan Fernandez isn’t far behind at 147. Nicole Amoroso is leading in assists with 46 and Fernandez leads in blocks with 47.
The Knights host Division 8 opponent Arroyo today at 4 p.m. at the Henry Mayo Fitness Center.
SCCS ended the Heritage League season in third place and is experienced in the playoffs. Last season, the Cardinals reached the semifinals before getting swept by Villanova Prep.
The Cards travel to St. Monica Academy tonight, a team that they last played in 2016 but have beaten three times total. Game time for the Division 8 match is scheduled for 6 p.m.
