Laguna Blanca has accepted a spot in the CIF State Girls Volleyball Championships.
The Owls will play at Central Section champion Woodlake in a first-round match in Division 4 on Tuesday night.
Laguna Blanca was beaten in the CIF-Southern Section Division 4-A semifinals by eventual champion Rolling Hills Prep on Tuesday. On Friday, the school got a call from the CIF about filling an open berth in the 16-team state tournament.
“We got the call on Friday and everybody agreed to play,” assistant coach Dillan Bennett said. “Everybody is in and they can all play.”
The Owls were emotionally devastated after a five-set loss at Rolling Hills Prep.
“They were sad when the season ended, but now we have another chance,” said Bennett. “If you look back, other teams that have lost in the section tournament have come back to win a state title.
“We could do some damage despite the fact we haven’t practiced in week. We have to find that magic again.”
Woodlake (25-4) is the No. 3 seed in the Southern California bracket and Laguna Blanca (15-7) is No. 6.
San Diego Section champion Francis Parker is the top seed in the bracket and Southern Section Division 4-AA champion Saddleback Valley Christian is No. 2.
The other teams in the bracket are Rolling Hills Prep, Santa Fe Christian of Solana Beach, Elizabeth Learning Center of Cudahy and Pacifica Christian of Santa Monica.
The second round is on Saturday, the So Cal Finals on Tuesday, Nov. 27 and the state finals on Saturday, Dec. 1 at Concordia University in Irvine.
