Girls’ Volleyball: Santa Margarita wins state D-1 title

After falling just short in 2016, SantarnMargarita High School won the CIF state Division 1 championship in girls’rnvolleyball Dec. 1 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.

MaterrnDei, however, was denied its first-ever state championship, losing to powerfulrnArchbishop Mitty of San Jose in the Open Division final on Dec. 2.

Inrnwinning its second state title and first since 1997, Santa Margarita (34-9)rnrecorded a 25-19, 25-12, 25-13 win over James Logan of Union City (40-5). ThernEagles previously had been runners-up four times in the state tournament.

That included an OpenrnDivision loss in last year’s final to Archbishop Mitty, which won its sixthrnstraight state championship, 25-20, 25-18, 27-25, over Mater Dei (37-6, whichrnposted its third runner-up finish in a state title match. For Mitty, thernvictory avenged a four-set loss to Mater Dei on Sept. 1 meeting in Santa Ana.