Final State Rankings Countdown: Teams 6-10

<p>As we continue our rankings countdown a reminder about the groundwork. Rankings are never perfect and are subjective by nature. These rankings are heavily weighed based on CIF and state playoff results. Except in a rare instance, a team will not be ranked ahead of a team it lost to in CIF or state. There may be an example of a team losing to the same opponent in CIF then beating that team in state and in that instance the state victory usually takes precedent. We tried hard to follow the results chain as closely as possible but in a sport like volleyball with tournament play during the regular season, those results can create more questions than answers.</p> <p><strong>6. Village Christian</strong> (27-9, Southern Section)<br /> <strong>Season Highlight(s)</strong>: CIF State Open Division Round 1 (lost to Marymount); CIF Southern Section Division 1 Quarterfinalist (lost to Mira Costa); Olympic League champion<br /> <strong>Key Graduates</strong>: S [player_tooltip player_id="159993" first="Sienna" last="Noordermeer"]; L/DS [player_tooltip player_id="160135" first="Campbell" last="Jensen"]; MB Payton George; OH [player_tooltip player_id="161472" first="Tatum" last="Firestone"]; OH/RS [player_tooltip player_id="161471" first="Emma" last="Napoleon"]; OH [player_tooltip player_id="159988" first="Payton" last="Hudspeth"]; MB [player_tooltip player_id="159516" first="Elizabeth" last="Miller"]<br /> <strong>Key Returners</strong> (grade this fall): OH/RS Deanna Dollar (Jr)<br /> <strong>2022 Outlook</strong>: The Crusaders lose as much as anybody does which means an entirely new lineup will take the floor next fall. The team’s top five kill leaders are gone, as is their setter and libero. Dollar is the team’s top returning attacker as the junior recorded 75 kills this season.</p> <p><strong>7. Vista Murrieta</strong> (20-10, Southern)<br /> <strong>Season Highlight(s)</strong>: CIF State Open Division Round 1 (lost to Mira Costa); CIF Southern Section Division 1 Semifinalist (lost to Mater Dei); Southwestern League champion<br /> <strong>Key Graduates</strong>: OH Beth Bellfi; S [player_tooltip player_id="161447" first="Nicole" last="Jacob"]; L/DS Bri Bellfi<br /> <strong>Key Returners</strong>: OH [player_tooltip player_id="160016" first="Claire" last="Little"] (Jr); S [player_tooltip player_id="160907" first="Lexi" last="Duffy"] (Jr); OH [player_tooltip player_id="161021" first="Abby" last="Jones"] (Soph); MB Maddie Pulsipher (Fr); MB Lillian Montes (Soph)<br /> <strong>2022 Outlook</strong>: Little took over a third of the swings for the Broncos so as long as she’s on the court Vista Murrieta is going to be tough to contend with. There was lots of youth around Little this season, so the Broncos could be improved next year as those players continue to develop. For instance, both middles are back in Montes – who led the team in blocks – and Pulsipher – who was second in stuffs.</p> <p><strong>8. Harvard-Westlake</strong> (30-8, Southern)<br /> Season Highlight(s): CIF State Division 1 champion (defeated Hillsdale); CIF Southern Section Division 1 Quarterfinalist (lost to Marymount)<br /> <strong>Key Graduates</strong>: MB [player_tooltip player_id="163271" first="Kennedy" last="Hill"]; OH Sophia Lindus; L/DS Laurel Elliott<br /> <strong>Key Returners</strong>: S Neha Tummala (Jr); MB [player_tooltip player_id="163278" first="Avery" last="Jones"] (Jr); OH/RS [player_tooltip player_id="163280" first="Grace" last="Thrower"] (Jr); OH Ava-Marie Lange (Jr)<br /> <strong>2022 Outlook</strong>: The loss of explosive middle Hill might keep the Wolverines from being as dynamic as they were this season but it’s not like the program can’t reach the same heights next year. Plenty does return, including three key attackers in Lange, Jones and Thrower, as well as the setter in Tummala. That’s more the most schools can toss at opponents.</p> <p><strong>9. St. Francis/MV</strong> (20-12, Central Coast)<br /> <strong>Season Highlight(s)</strong>: CIF State Open Division Semifinalist (lost to Archbishop Mitty); CIF Central Coast Section Open Division Semifinalist (lost to Archbishop Mitty)<br /> <strong>Key Graduates</strong>: RS [player_tooltip player_id="162798" first="Madison" last="Pietsch"]; OH Lauren Scheffler; S [player_tooltip player_id="160007" first="Ella" last="Norris"]<br /> <strong>Key Returners</strong>: OH [player_tooltip player_id="160975" first="Erin" last="Curtis"] (Soph); OH/RS [player_tooltip player_id="161032" first="Taylor" last="Williams"] (Soph); S Havannah Hoeft (Jr); L/DS [player_tooltip player_id="161325" first="Whitney" last="Wallace"] (Soph)<br /> <strong>2022 Outlook</strong>: The upside for the Lancers is that Curtis – this year’s kill leader and junior-to-be next season – is back. Also returning is the dig leader in Wallace. That’s two key pieces the Lancers won’t have to worry about. But Pietsch and Scheffler finished second and third in kills and are gone, as is setter Norris so that’s something the Lancers must deal with. Another sophomore in Williams could see an expanded role next fall as she finished fourth in kills.</p> <p><strong>10. Marin Catholic</strong> (28-3, North Coast)<br /> <strong>Season Highlight(s)</strong>: CIF North Coast Section Division 2 champion (defeated Redwood); CIF State Open Division 1 Round 1 (lost to St. Francis); Marin County League champion<br /> <strong>Key Graduates</strong>: S [player_tooltip player_id="161462" first="Leah" last="Wilton-LaBoy"]; OH [player_tooltip player_id="161460" first="Julianna" last="Treadway"]; OH [player_tooltip player_id="161461" first="Kelsey" last="Ramsey"]; OH Grace Olivia; L/DS [player_tooltip player_id="161459" first="Bella" last="McGirr"]<br /> <strong>Key Returners</strong>: MB [player_tooltip player_id="161455" first="Brooke" last="Brilliant"] (Jr); S/RS [player_tooltip player_id="161453" first="Molly" last="Harrison"] (Jr); MB [player_tooltip player_id="161454" first="Camille" last="Welborn"] (Jr); L/DS [player_tooltip player_id="161457" first="Isabella" last="Do Arellanes"] (Jr); RS/MB Corey Lemmer (Fr)<br /> <strong>2022 Outlook</strong>: A good chunk of the starting lineup is leaving so the Wildcats will take on a new look next fall. There are some pieces coming back that should help ease the transition and keep the Wildcats near the same competitive level. One is Do Arellanes on the defensive side, while middles Brilliant and Welborn are others who could step up.</p>