Narbonne and Banning Set for High-Stakes City Volleyball Final
The two teams, tied for third in league play, split their regular-season meetings, both of which went the distance to five sets.
By Lucia Orlov ·
The Division III girls volleyball championship for the L.A. City Section will be decided between two Marine League rivals who finished the regular season with identical records. Third-seeded Narbonne and fourth-seeded Banning both ended the league portion of their schedules with 5-5 marks, forcing a decisive playoff meeting to determine the winner.
The teams know each other well. They played twice during the fall, and neither victory came easily. Narbonne took the first matchup on Sept. 10 with a 25-22, 15-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-8 score. Banning responded on Oct. 1, winning 14-25, 23-25, 25-16, 26-24, 15-13. The final match is scheduled for Saturday at 1:15 p.m. at Venice High.
The stakes differ for each program. Banning is chasing a title that has eluded them for over five decades, with their last City volleyball championship coming in 1973. Narbonne is competing for its first City title in program history. The Pilots enter the final with a 20-21 overall record, while the Gauchos stand at 8-11.
Banning advanced through the tournament with victories over Port of Los Angeles, Harbor Teacher, and Marquez. Josefina Rodriguez led the team in the Tuesday semifinal against Marquez, recording 17 kills. The Pilots defeated Marquez 25-16, 27-25, 19-25, 25-23 to secure their spot in the championship game.
Narbonne’s path to the final included a three-set sweep of Sun Valley Magnet and a five-set win over Larchmont Charter. The Gauchos closed their playoff run by defeating Wilson 25-17, 25-7, 25-23 in the semifinals. Both teams will look to close out the season with a win that resolves their split regular season series.
Source: Daily Breeze
