One Week after making school history by playing in their first ever girls volleyball City Section final, the Reseda Regents punched their ticket to the CIF State South Regional finals with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-23, 25-21) sweep of the Woodlake Tigers. With every win, the current run for the Regents grows more and more historic. Saturday afternoon was no different. Just as they have throughout the season, Reseda leaned on their captains and leaders to settle nerves and play to their capabilities.

It was two of these usual suspects that got the opening set started for the Regents. Senior Emelia Gustavsson tipped home the opening point to bring service to Reseda. Senior Zahra Numa fired home two aces and the Regents held a 4-0 lead. Woodlake responded with the next three points, but otherwise didn’t threaten Reseda in the first set with the Regents comfortably taking it 25-10.

The second set began almost as a mirror image of the first, with Zahra serving two aces and Gustavsson powering a kill for a 3-0 lead. The Tigers appeared to have settled down from their opening set jitters and began their pushback. They tied the set at 4-4 and 7-7 before taking their first lead of the match at 7-8. Woodlake increased their advantage to three points to 9-12 before Gustavsson scored on a tip and a kill to help tie the set at 12-apiece. 

Both teams traded points before the Tigers took advantage of some defensive miscues and miscommunication to build their lead back up to four at 14-18. Reseda earned service on a side-out and senior setter Alyssa Ornelas immediately served an ace to cut the lead in half. The Regents scored two more points to tire and then senior middle Lesly Mejia came up with a big block to give Reseda a 19-18 lead.

The teams traded points once again, and were tied at 19-19, 20-20, 21-21 and 22-22. From there, the Regents again leaned on what works for them and scored three of the next points to take the set. The exclamation point came with Gustavsson firing home a kill to secure the second set 25-22 for Reseda.

Not ready to concede the match, Woodlake came out and battled through the third set. They did not allow the Regents to build exceedingly large leads, and trimmed each deficit they found themselves in. Case in point, after trading points to begin the set, Layla Reyes scored four straight points for Reseda with a tip and three kills for a 7-3 lead, but the Tigers responded with a kill of their own. 

Eventually, both teams committed errors to give points away in the set and Woodlake chipped away at the deficit that had grown to six at 12-6 for a 14-14 tie. The back and forth action continued with multiple ties culminating in a 19-19 tie. Reyes scored on a tip for the Regents, forcing a time-out call by Woodlake. 

Following the time out, Reyes added a kill and Ornelas served an ace for set point at 24-19. The Tigers were unable to keep their return in the court and the Regents erupted in elation at having swept their opponents and secured a spot in the CIF State Regional finals.

Reseda will now host the No 5 seed Bell Gardens Lancers on Tuesday, November 19 at 6:00. The match will be held at Van Nuys high school.