Terriers sweep Etiwanda; San Clemente next

REDLANDS – The Redlands High girls volleyball team swept aside an old foe and won a 30th match for the first time in program history on Monday night.

The Terriers’ 25-21, 25-16, 25-7 win against Etiwanda advances them to the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 second round where they will host San Clemente on Thursday.

In doing so, Redlands snapped a three-match program losing streak against perennial Inland Empire power Etiwanda.

“I’m pretty impressed with the way the team played together,” Redlands coach Corinne Flowers said. “I don’t really have words – everything was working and everything was flowing.”

Trailing 21-20 in the first set, Redlands got a kill by Charlee Willis to tie it, an ace from Ava Reyes, an error by Etiwanda, a Jocelyn McNairy kill, and an Etiwanda net violation to close it out.

“It was more about just having fun than thinking about the importance of the match,” Willis said. “I also realized that even if I get blocked a few times I’ll eventually come through.”

Willis had five blocks on the evening to complement Kameryn Carpenter with nine kills and Jaydee Zook with six.

The Terriers served well, missing only three on the night. Reyes had four aces and Sophia Farrokhi had three.

Natallia Caravia chipped in with 17 assists, Reyes had 16 digs, and McNairy had two blocks.

The Terriers hit .393 with 14 aces and seven blocks.

“I knew that we had to serve and pass well,” Flowers said. “We struggled a little in the first half of the first set on serve-receive, but then we found our rhythm.”

Redlands served well and got five kills from Carpenter to dominate the second set. A Farrokhi ace (she had three in the set) gave the Terriers a 9-3 lead. Redlands never led by fewer than four points after that and won on a block assist by Willis.

Reyes had two consecutive amazing digs in the second set, prompting Flowers to step on the court and congratulate her between points.

Etiwanda (23-13) won the first point of the final set on a kill by Nina Hemsley. But Redlands zoomed away, winning 19 of the next 21 points to lead 19-3.

The Terriers’ 6-foot-1 freshman middle blocker Gia Johnson came alive in that span, collecting four consecutive kills.

“It was one of my better matches and I’m happy it was in CIF,” Johnson said. “It feels absolutely amazing. Our coach told us it’s just a regular game.”

The Terriers’ next opponent, San Clemente (25-10) swept its first-round opponent, Louisville of Woodland Hills. San Clemente went unbeaten in the Sea View League.