Volleyball: Louisville solidifies No. 1 slot

Louisville High School of Woodland Hills, the No. 1 ranked Division 2A Girls Volleyball in the current CIF-Southern Section poll, tightened its grip with a tough three-set win Oct. 2 over No. 9 Immaculate Heart in their Sunshine League opener.

The Royals (16-7 on the year) outlasted the Pandas 25-20, 25-22 and 25-17, and will next play Oct. 7 at Notre Dame Academy (9-9), which defeated Louisville in tournament play Sept. 27. It will be the Sunshine League opener for the Gryphons.

Immaculate Heart (7-4 overall) plays Oct. 7 at home against Alemany (12-5), which defeated Chaminade in three sets Oct. 1 in both teams’ league opener. The Sunshine League is among the most competitive in the CIF.

The early Mission League season has a marquee matchup Oct. 7 with Flintridge Sacred Heart (9-3) at Marymount (5-3), with the Tologs (2) and Sailors (7) both in the Division 1AA top 10. Also in action is No. 6 Santa Margarita (17-3) hosting Mater Dei Oct. 7 in a tough Trinity League affair. The Monarchs won their first league contest over J.Serra and will take on Rosary Oct. 6 before their game against the Eagles.

The Del Rey League (also Division 1AA) will pit early leader Bishop Montgomery at St. Joseph/Lakewood on Oct. 7. The visiting Knights are 7-2 (1-0 in league), the host Jesters 12-6.

Mayfield, the sixth-ranked Division 2AA team, has an Oct. 7 Prep League match at Chadwick. The Cubs are 3-1 in league, 8-3 overall.

In Division 4AA, St. Paul (No. 2, 18-2 overall) has the role of team-to-beat in the Camino Real League, but will be tested by Pomona Catholic (8-4 overall) on Oct. 7, and down the road in a rematch with No. 10 St. Anthony (13-4). The Swordsmen prevailed in three tough sets in their first meeting Sept. 30.

Also in Division 4AA, the Tri-Valley League is shaping up as a battle between No. 3 La Reina (13-5, 4-0 in league) and No. 4 St. Bonaventure (10-2, 4-1). La Reina won the first meeting Sept. 30 in a five-set thriller in Ventura, after the Seraphs rallied from two sets down before falling 15-8 in the third. The teams meet again Oct. 16 in Thousand Oaks.

In Division 4A, Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto (tenth-ranked, 4-1 overall, 2-0 league) appears to have the edge early on in the Horizon League, with San Gabriel Mission (7-5, 1-0) posing the strongest challenge. The teams square off Oct. 7 at Conat-Loretto.

And in Division 5A, St. Monica Academy of Pasadena (7-3-2 overall) has the International League lead at 4-0. The Crusaders host New Harvest Christian of Norwalk on Oct. 7 in the second of a home-and-home series, having won in straight sets Oct. 2.