In an early season showdown between two of the top girls volleyball teams in the state, Redondo Union took control over the last two sets to handle Marymount 25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 25-14 and prove it is a threat for its first Southern Section championship since 2019.
The squads entered their nonleague matchup with a 22-1 combined record this fall and could meet again down the road with the stakes even higher. The Sea Hawks’ triumph was all the more impressive given that it was accomplished without libero Rowan DeVore (sidelined with flu) and senior twins Avery and Addi Junk, who are skipping the indoor season to concentrate on beach volleyball, which both are committed to play at Florida State.
California commit Abby Zimmerman was almost unstoppable, pounding a match-high 26 kills, Leah Blair (committed to play beach at Washington) had 10 kills and UC Irvine-bound Taylor Boice added seven kills for the home side. Setter Marlo Libbey had 33 assists and served three aces.
Zimmerman led her school to the beach title in the spring.
“Indoor is my favorite and we’ve put in so much work, it would be great to go out on top my last year,” Zimmerman said. “This was a solid match for us and if we can bring the same energy and fight every game we have a good chance.”
Both programs were coming off successful trips to Hawaii. Redondo Union finished runner-up to national power Byron Nelson (Texas) for the second straight season at the Ann Kang Invitational, while Marymount did not drop a set on its way to the Hawaiian Island Labor Day Classic championship Saturday in Hilo.
Junior hitter Makenna Barnes had 16 kills, Washington commit Sammy Destler added 14, Olivia Penske had 36 assists and Declan Eastman recorded 11 digs for the Sailors, who were trying to avenge a five-set defeat in the first round of the CIF SoCal Open Division regionals last fall.
“I play on the same club team as Abby and Taylor… we’re best friends,” Destler said. “This was a much-needed wake-up call for us. We have practice at 5:45 a.m. tomorrow and I have to like it. Redondo’s a whole different level than the teams we saw in Hawaii.”
Tuesday’s nonleague match not only featured many of the Southland’s most talented players, but also two of its most successful coaches in Redondo Union’s Tommy Chaffins (who passed the 900 career wins milestone last year) and Marymount’s Cari Klein (who has led her Sailors to 30 or more victories in three of the last four seasons).
Klein said the trip back from Hawaii had a little drama as the plane had engine problems and had to divert to Oahu.
Marymount was off to its hottest start since 2021 when it finished 35-0 en route to its 10th section title and seventh state crown under Klein and the No. 1 national ranking.
The schedule only gets tougher for Redondo Union (14-1), which travels to reigning Division 1 champion Mater Dei on Thursday and hosts 2022 champion Sierra Canyon next Tuesday. Marymount (9-1) will try to shake off its first loss when it hosts the Sea Hawks’ Bay League rival, Mira Costa, on Thursday.
“We’re very close on and off the court and we bonded even more in Hawaii,” Boice said. “Tonight we simply wanted it more.”