ANAHEIM – Ethan Saint had a team-high 25 kills for Santa Margarita on Saturday as the Eagles swept Servite in three sets, 27-25, 25-18, 25-22, in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 semifinal at Servite High.
Santa Margarita (24-4) will play Redondo (24-6) in the final on Saturday, May 11 The two teams have not played against each other this season.
Santa Margarita outside hitter Ethan Saint slams the ball at Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignosci digs deep to return the ball against Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The Servite bench and team supporters cheer a point against Santa Margarita in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Servite setter Joaquin Rigdon gets under the ball as the Friars took on Santa Margarita in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Servite fan Matthew Urias holds a Grogu doll for Star Wars Day, May the Fourth, and cheers as Santa Margarita played Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Servite setter Joaquin Rigdon puts the ball close to the net against Santa Margarita in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Servite hitter Jake Schutt spikes the ball over the hands of Santa Margarita defender Chase Wallin in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignosci, center, and Fenton Regan, left, yell in celebration after the Eagles beat Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Servite blockers Joaquin Rigdon, left, and Cooper Truong, right, try to stop a shot from Santa Margarita in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita blockers Luke Ackerman, left, and Brendan Relvas, right, connect with a shot made by Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Luke Ackerman, left, and Ethan Saint, right, get up to block a shot against Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita blocker Ethan Saint tries to stop a shot by Servite in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Servite blockers Eamon Rigdon, left, and Quentin Ryan, right, can’t stop a shot from Santa Margarita in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 boys volleyball playoffs at Servite High School in Anaheim on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The CIF-SS office on Monday will announce the site for the contest.
Servite (19-14) might be selected to play in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs that begin May 14. The regional brackets will be released May 12.
Santa Margarita will be playing in its fifth CIF-SS boys volleyball championship match. The Eagles are 3-1 in finals and won championships in 1997, ‘98 and 2001.
Eagles senior outside hitter Brooks Ignosci had 15 kills and 12 digs. Freshman setter Chase Wallin had 40 assists.
Santa Margarita coach Sinan Tanik got the all-around team effort he wanted.
“When I take pride in my team the most is when everyone is contributing,” said Tanik, in his third season as Santa Margarita’s head coach after playing and coaching for many years in Europe and in Turkey. “Yes, we have our heavy guns. But when everyone is contributing that is very important.”
Santa Margarita defeated Servite twice in Trinity League matches during the regular season, including a 3-2 win at Servite and a 3-0 win at Santa Margarita.
“Every time you play Servite you’ve got to play well,” said Saint, a 6-3 senior outside hitter who signed with UC Santa Barbara. “We came out with a lot of energy and our team played well.”
The match featured many high-velocity spikes and athletic digs in all three sets.
A Saint kill gave Santa Margarita a 15-10 lead in the first set, the Eagles’ biggest lead of that set.
Servite relied on USC-signed, 6-6 senior outside hitter Eamon Rigdon and fellow seniors Quinn Rosenkranz and Connor Truong to lead their charge in the first set. The Friars took a 23-22 lead and a 25-24 lead but could not get the win, with Santa Margarita taking the set 27-25.
Santa Margarita grabbed momentum midway through the second set and went on to a 25-18 win.
As in the first two sets, Servite had an early lead before Santa Margarita put together a mid-set run to win it 25-22.
“Servite is a really good team at every position,” Tanik said. “This year I think we matched up very well against them.”
Saint said the Eagles must play like they did Saturday in order to beat Redondo in the final.
“I think we just need to stay sharp,” Saint said. “Serving and passing are always big, and playing good defense and blocking. Just the whole game, really.”
