El Toro Advances to CIF Semifinals

El Toro’s girls volleyball team defeated St. Anthony of Long Beach in three games, 25-23, 25-17, and 25-22, on Wednesday to secure a spot in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 semifinals. The victory improved the Chargers' season record to 21-10 and ended the Saints' bid for a third section title.

The match featured a dramatic first game where El Toro overcame a 19-14 deficit. Elli Hirosumi served four consecutive points to close the gap, and Sophie Nigro added a block and a kill to bring the score to 23-22. Hirosumi scored the next point, and Jessa Jarrett served an ace to clinch the set. El Toro committed six service errors and allowed four aces from the Saints during that game.

The second game proceeded more smoothly for the Chargers, who extended a 7-5 lead to a 19-11 advantage. Lindsay Keith contributed four of El Toro's last five points to secure the win. In the third game, the team faced a similar challenge to their previous round, falling behind 11-6 and 16-11 before mounting a comeback.

Senior Liz Njoroge sparked the rally with a kill and a block, bringing the score to 16-15. Down 18-15, El Toro scored five consecutive points to take the lead. Hirosumi began the run with two kills, and Njoroge recorded a team-high six blocks and four kills for the match. Avery Ko and Ellie Tredwell also provided key points from the bench, with Ko serving and Tredwell blocking.

Sophie Nigro recorded 40 assists, while Hirosumi added 11 kills and Keith contributed 15. St. Anthony relied on Brianna Mbire, who had 10 kills, and Brooke Jondle, who recorded six. The loss dropped the Saints to a 20-15-1 record on the season.

Coach Gus Culver noted that the team started slowly but found rhythm. He stated that the balanced attack forced opponents to defend three hitters. Culver observed that the girls responded well to adversity, with role players contributing crucial points. He emphasized that winning despite shaky serve-receive provided confidence for the upcoming schedule.

El Toro will play Liberty of Winchester in the semifinal match on Saturday. Liberty defeated top-seeded Marlborough of Los Angeles in the second round and beat Canyon of Canyon Country in five games on Wednesday. El Toro seeks to match its championship performance from 2021 and reach the finals for the first time since 2022.

Liz Njoroge said the team draws strength from chemistry and adversity. She explained that facing competition helps the group realize what is needed when play does not go according to plan. The experience of fighting out of deficits has made the team stronger as they prepare for the next challenge.