Capistrano Valley Christian sweeps El Dorado in CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final
Eagles outside hitter Kenna Henjum had team-highs of 14 kills and four service aces.
Capistrano Valley Christian’s volleyball team celebrates its final win during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s volleyball team celebrates its final win during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s volleyball team celebrates its final win during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s head coach Kelle Bond (right) celebrates her teams Division 4 Finals trophy after a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s Bella Lee (16) hits against El Dorado’s Sofia Shine (7) during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s teams celebrates a point late in the third set during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s volleyball team celebrates its final win during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s Ava Nilsson (7) and Capistrano Valley Christian’s Michaela Meserve (13) share a moment after will the Division 4 Finals between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s Addy Ebrahimzadeh (12), who was injured in the match, has her CIF patch brought to her by Capistrano Valley Christian’s Michaela Meserve (13) after the finals between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s Bella Lee (16) hits over El Dorado’s Hailey Costanzo (5) and El Dorado’s Sienna Gomez (12) during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
El Dorado’s Hailey Costanzo (5) and El Dorado’s Sienna Gomez (12) can’t block the shot by Capistrano Valley Christian’s Bella Lee (16) during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
El Dorado’s Sienna Gomez (12) gets a ball past Capistrano Valley Christian’s Addy Ebrahimzadeh (12) during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
El Dorado’s head coach Britney Brown directs players after a time out during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s head coach Kelle Bond talk with a couple of her players during a time out during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
El Dorado’s Sofia Shine (7) reacts after a missed point during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
El Dorado’s Emerson Ahsmuhs (9) helps Capistrano Valley Christian’s Addy Ebrahimzadeh (12) who hurt her ankle during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
Capistrano Valley Christian’s Ava Nilsson (7) hits against El Dorado’s Sofia Shine (7) and El Dorado’s Paige Bette (8) during a game between Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado in the CIF-SS Division 4 girls volleyball final at Cerritos College on November 4, 2023.
(Photo by Michael Goulding/Contributing Photographer)
NORWALK – Capistrano Valley Christian won the CIF Southern Section Division 4 girls volleyball championship Saturday with a three-set sweep of El Dorado , 26-24, 25-23, 25-21, at Cerritos College.
The Eagles came back for a big early deficit to win the first set, pulled away in the latter portion of the second set and led throughout the third set.
Capistrano Valley Christian (30-4) won its second CIF-SS championship. The first title was won in 1992. The Eagles’ previous finals appearance was a loss in 2021.
The season continues for Capistrano Valley Christian and El Dorado (28-6) next week in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs.
The athleticism and powerful hitting of both teams Saturday rivaled what is seen in higher-division volleyball.
Eagles outside hitter Kenna Henjum had team-highs of 14 kills and four service aces. Junior outside hitter Bella Lee contributed five kills and junior setter Shauna McDowell had 16 assists.
Sophomore outside hitter Sofia Shine led the Golden Hawks with 16 kills. Senior outside hitter Emerson Ahsmuhs added 14 kills.
El Dorado was the taller team at the net.
“That brings a lot of challenges to our blocking,” Henjum said. “We played super strong defensively. That’s one of the strongest parts of our game is our defense.”
Capistrano Valley Christian trailed 11-4 in the first set. The Eagles then went on a 9-2 run to take the lead, with a McDowell ace putting them on top 14-13 and they went on to the 26-24 win. The Eagles held off an El Dorado comeback in the second set to win 25-23 and scored seven of the third set’s first 10 points on the way to the 25-21 victory.
El Dorado coach Britney Brown said there was a mix of disappointment and pride from Saturday’s result.
“We are pretty awesome,” Brown said. “We’ve got some great athletes. This stings a little bit, it’s not what we wanted, but we’ll be back.”
Brown’s assessment of Capistrano Valley Christian: “You’ve got to give to them. They’re a good scrambling team. They wouldn’t let our ball go down.”
Capistrano Valley Christian coach Kelle Bond talked after the match about the team’s senior leadership. Lee said that created a winning environment.
“We all really bonded as a team,” Lee said. “Our culture and our energy, that really helped us win today.”
