Redondo Union defeats Marymount in high school

In an early season showdown between two of the top women volleyball groups in the state, Redondo Union took control over the last two units to deal with Marymount 25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 25-14 and show it’s a risk for its first Southern Section championship since 2019.

The squads entered their nonleague matchup with a 22-1 mixed report this fall and might meet again down the street with the stakes even increased. The Sea Hawks’ triumph was all the more spectacular given that it was completed without libero Rowan DeVore (sidelined with flu) and senior twins Avery and Addi Junk, who are skipping the indoor season to focus on seashore volleyball, which both are dedicated to play at Florida State.

California commit Abby Zimmerman was nearly unstoppable, pounding a match-high 26 kills, Leah Blair (dedicated to play seashore at Washington) had 10 kills and UC Irvine-bound Taylor Boice added seven kills for the home facet. Setter Marlo Libbey had 33 assists and served three aces.

Zimmerman led her school to the seashore 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 packages had been coming off profitable journeys to Hawaii. Redondo Union completed runner-up to national energy Byron Nelson (Texas) for the second straight season at the Ann Kang Invitational, while Marymount didn’t drop a set on its method 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 had been attempting to avenge a five-set defeat in the first spherical 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 gifted gamers, but also two of its most profitable coaches in Redondo Union’s Tommy Chaffins (who handed the 900 profession wins milestone last yr) and Marymount’s Cari Klein (who has led her Sailors to 30 or more victories in three of the last 4 seasons).

Klein said the journey back from Hawaii had a little drama as the airplane had engine issues and had to divert to Oahu.

Marymount was off to its hottest start since 2021 when it completed 35-0 en route to its tenth part title and seventh state crown under Klein and the No. 1 national rating.

The schedule only will get harder 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 attempt 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.”