No. 1 Mater Dei (CA) ascends Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings after Benet Academy (IL) stunned in final regular season match

BENSALEM, Pa. – The craziness has just begun for the Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings.

With regular seasons ending this week and a majority of the states playing postseason volleyball, it figures a team that was about to cement a perfect regular season and a clear cut favorite to win a state championship went down.

No. 5 Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) fell to Loyola Academy (Wilmette) in three sets. Quite an upset but the Redwings (34-1) won a league title and enter the Illinois Class 4A playoffs as the favorite in a bracket that is one of the toughest in the nation. The Redwings have regional play this week and the sectionals are next week if they advance.

So, the new No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). The Monarchs are playing some of their best volleyball all season as the sectional playoffs is in full swing.

The action is really heating up in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Division 1 pool play. There are seven teams from the Net 25 comprising the two four-team pools. Last week, they played the opener and this week it wraps up with two matches apiece. Of course, three teams absorbed losses but since this is Net 25 teams going head to head, dropping teams out makes no sense until pool play is complete. The winners of Pools A and B will meet for the title on Saturday, Nov. 9. After that it’s the regional tournament en route to the state final.

Since there are no additions, only a handful of teams provided the movement. No. 23 Huntington Beach (Calif.) fell eight positions after a pool-play loss to No. 22 Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.).

Congratulations to the No. 20 Mount St. Mary’s Rockets of Oklahoma City, who won the Oklahoma Class 5A state championship last weekend and finished with a sparkling 39-1 mark.

That’ll do it for the fourth week in October. The Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings return on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Don’t forget to turn your clocks back on Sunday, Nov. 3 and have a Happy Halloween.

Bye for now.

We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Net 25 Girls’ Volleyball Rankings, Oct. 30, 2024

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (32-4)

Previous rank: 2.

Digs: The Monarchs defeated No. 25 Los Alamitos, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool B round-robin playoffs. Pool play concludes with two matches this week.

2. Byron Nelson, Trophy Club, Texas (33-1)

Previous: 3.

Digs: If the Bobcats can close out Keller Central on Tuesday, Oct. 29, they will be 16-0 in District 4-6A and carry a 30-match win streak into the Class 6A bi-district playoff game.

3. Prestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, Texas (31-2)

Previous: 4.

Digs: The regular season ends on Thursday against Midlothian.

4. Alpharetta, Ga. (35-0)

Previous: 5.

Digs: The Raiders return to the Class AAAAAA final where they meet North Cobb (Kennesaw) on Saturday.

5. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (34-1)

Previous: 1.

Digs: Upset by Loyola Academy (Wilmette), 25-27, 25-12, 21-25. The Redwings lost their chance at a perfect season and now focus on the Class 4A playoffs. They played on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in the regional semifinals and the final is Thursday in Naperville.

6. Cornerstone Christian School, San Antonio, Texas (32-4)

Previous: 6.

Digs: Season complete.

7. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (31-3)

Previous: 7.

Digs: Swept Temecula Valley (Temecula), 25-16, 25-13, 25-23 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool A round-robin playoffs. The Blazers close out pool play with two matches this week.

8. Roncalli, Indianapolis (32-0)

Previous: 8.

Digs: The Royals remain unbeaten after sweeping Northview (Brazil), 25-10, 25-18, 25-19 in the Class 3A regional final. Up next is Jennings County (North Vernon) in the Class 3A Semi-state semifinals Saturday and the final is later that day.

9. Cathedral Catholic, San Diego, Calif. (39-3)

Previous: 9.

Digs: The regular season concludes on a 16-match win streak. Up next is the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division quarterfinals against San Dieguito Academy on Thursday. The semifinals are Tuesday, Nov. 5 and the final is Saturday, Nov. 9.

10. Dripping Springs, Texas (43-2)

Previous: 10.

Digs: The Tigers go for a perfect 12-0 season in District 26-6A against Austin High on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

11. Divine Savior Holy Angels, Milwaukee (42-1)

Previous: 11.

Digs: Swept Rufus King (Milwaukee), 25-8, 25-8, 25-6 in the Division 1 regional final.

12. Marymount, Los Angeles (32-6)

Previous: 13.

Digs: The Sailors defeated No. 14 Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach), 23-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-17, 15-8 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool A round-robin playoffs. Two more pool matches this week.

13. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (31-2)

Previous: 14.

Digs: The Royals stopped Harrison (West Lafayette), 25-11, 25-11, 25-16 in the Class 4A Regional final. Up next is Penn (Mishawaka) Saturday in the Semi-state semifinals with the final later that day.

14. Mira Costa, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (25-7)

Previous: 12.

Digs: The Mustangs dropped a five-set heartbreaker to No. 13 Marymount (Los Angeles), including 15-8 in the fifth game of the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool A round-robin playoffs. The final two matches in the pool are slated for this week.

15. Lovejoy, Lucas, Texas (32-7)

Previous: 16.

Digs: The Leopards closed out the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 29 with Sherman. They are 13-0 in District 9-5A and looking for an unblemished record.

16. Mother McAuley, Chicago (30-4)

Previous: 17.

Digs: The Mighty Macs look to defend their Class 4A state championship, starting this week with the Stagg Regionals in Palos Hills. The final is Thursday.

17. Yorktown, Ind. (31-2)

Previous: 18.

Digs: Charlotte Vinson pounded out 20 kills and Bailey Stevens dished out 19 assists when the Tigers defeated Lawrence North (Indianapolis), 25-14, 25-16, 25-14 in the Class 4A Regional final. The real glue is Texas A&M-bound libero Addi Applegate, who orchestrates the attack. The Tigers meet Castle on Saturday in the Semi-state semifinals with the winner going to the Semi-state championship later that day. The 4A final is Saturday, Nov. 9.

18. Notre Dame Academy, Park Hills, Ky. (29-3)

Previous: 19.

Digs: The Pandas swept Villa Madonna Academy (Villa Hills) in three sets in the 9^th Regional quarterfinals. The semifinals were Tuesday, Oct. 29 and the final is Wednesday, Oct. 30.

19. Mercy, Farmington Hills, Mich. (26-2)

Previous: 20.

Digs: The Marlins closed out the regular season on a seven-match win streak. They will host the Division 1, District 23 tournament.

20. Mount St. Mary Catholic, Oklahoma City (39-1)*

Previous: 21.

Digs: Won Class 5A state championship, defeating Booker T. Washington (Tulsa) in straight sets in the final. Season complete.

21. Plant, Tampa, Fla. (20-1)

Previous: 22.

Digs: The Panthers rolled into the Class 7A, Region 3 final, where they will meet Venice on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

22. Redondo Union, Redondo Beach, Calif. (26-9)

Previous: 23.

Digs: Defeated then-No. 15 Huntington Beach (Calif.), 20-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-14 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool B round-robin playoffs

23. Huntington Beach, Calif. (30-5)

Previous: 15.

Digs: Upended by then-No. 23 Redondo Union (Redondo Beach), 25-20, 20-25, 16-25, 14-25 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool B round-robin playoffs. The action wraps up this week with matches on Tuesday and Saturday.

24. Colleyville (Texas) Heritage (31-6)

Previous: 24.

Digs: The Panthers closed out the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 29 with Richland (North Richland Hills).

25. Los Alamitos, Calif. (31-7)

Previous: 25.

Digs: Lost to No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) in three close sets in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Pool B playoffs.

Dropped out: None.

Special Consideration: Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.); Seton (Cincinnati); Princeton (N.J.); Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.); Xavier College Prep (Phoenix); Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.); St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.); Lakeville (Minn.) South; Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.); Assumption (Louisville, Ky.); Grand Oaks (Spring, Texas); Winter Park (Fla.); Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas).

* Denotes a state or conference postseason champion

Records through Sunday

 About: The Blue Star Media Net 25 High School Girls’ Volleyball Rankings are released weekly from August until the conclusion of the high school season in November. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. Follow him on X at @clawlor.