The Long Beach Poly girls volleyball team poses with their championship plaque after winning the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship match Saturday at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026.
Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
The Redondo Union girls volleyball team watches Long Beach Poly receive their CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship plaque at Cerritos College on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
The Redondo Union girls volleyball team poses for a photo with the runner up plaque following the end of Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship match against Long Beach Poly at Cerritos College on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Long Beach Poly’s Cedra Talaga gets a hug and kiss from her father, EJ, after her team’s win over Redondo Union following Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 6, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
The Long Beach Poly girls volleyball team celebrates their win over Redondo Union at the end of Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 5 final at Cerritos College on November 6, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Leah Blair serves the ball during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final against Long Beach Poly at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
The Long Beach Poly girls volleyball team celebrates their win over Redondo Union at the end of Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 5 final at Cerritos College on November 6, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Long Beach Poly’s Mckennah Iamaleava (5) celebrates a point during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final against Redondo Union at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Gabriela Kumagai receives a serve during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final against Long Beach Poly at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Abigail Hairrell (17) and Leah Blair try to block a hit by Long Beach Poly’s Mckennah Iamaleava during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Long Beach Poly’s Cedra Talaga serves the ball during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final against Redondo Union at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Leah Blair tries to hit the ball past Long Beach Poly’s Avery Milburn during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Abigail Hairrell (17) and Leah Blair try to block a hit by Long Beach Poly’s Mckennah Iamaleava during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Abigail Hairrell tries to block a hit by Long Beach Poly’s Avery Milburn during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Asofiafia So’oto celebrates a point during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final against Long Beach Poly at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Long Beach Poly’s Aleeya Salima hits the ball past Redondo Union’s Addison Uphoff during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Long Beach Poly’s Mckennah Iamaleava hits the ball over Redondo Union’s Abigail Hairrell (17) and Redondo Union’s Brooke Bradford during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
Redondo Union’s Asofiafia So’oto hits the ball past Long Beach Poly’s Kerida Leomiti (40) and Alison Wetteland during Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division 2 final at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026. Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
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The Long Beach Poly girls volleyball team poses with their championship plaque after winning the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship match Saturday at Cerritos College on November 7, 2026.
Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer
NORWALK — The Long Beach Poly girls volleyball team might not be the tallest, with only one player listed above 5-foot-10, but the team collectively has the soul of a 6-foot-4 outside hitter.
Poly used its championship experience, grit and will to claw back from the brink of defeat Saturday at Cerritos College.
The Jackrabbits scored the game’s final four points to secure a thrilling victory over Redondo Union in five sets, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 16-14, to win the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship.
It is the Jackrabbits’ second CIF-SS title in three seasons and the program’s fourth overall.
Facing championship point, Poly trailed 14-12 in the fifth set but rallied and scored four consecutive points, capped by junior outside hitter Avery Milburn’s championship-clinching block.
“It means everything to me,” Milburn said of the victory. “We’ve been working so much in practice and going into this game, I was like I’m going to give my all or nothing. So that last point, that’s my all or nothing. I was going to block that ball no matter what.”
Redondo’s 6-foot-4 middle blocker, Abigail Hairrell, made it 13-12 with a kill. Poly’s side out put the Sea Hawks up 14-12. Consecutive points by Milburn and senior outside hitter McKennah Iamaleava, who is committed to UC Irvine, tied it at 14.
“That’s when the sisterhood comes in,” Iamaleava said, “and I’m really proud of our team for pulling through because we know when to lean on each other.”
Poly (29-7) was led by Iamaleava’s game-high 29 kills, including a pivotal point that made it 15-14 in the fifth set and set the stage for Milburn’s winning point.
“That’s all grit and heart,” Long Beach Poly coach Gerald Aquiningoc said. “Our team is full of it.”
Senior outside hitter Aleeya Salima had 18 kills. Milburn also finished with 18 kills.
“We practice to be big and play as big as them, but we get it from inside of us,” Milburn continued. “It’s what we hold inside and our energy and how we push through, even in tough times.”
Redondo Union (22-12) was led by sophomore outside hitter Asofiafia So’oto with a team-high 17 kills. Hairrell had 11 kills.
Poly, which won the Division 3 title in 2024 over Bishop Diego, defeated Redondo Union 3-2 in its regular-season finale on Oct. 14.
“All week we were saying we need to beat Redondo, we need to beat Redondo, but we didn’t take them lightly because we know they’re a great team,” Iamaleava said.
Both teams qualified for the CIF State playoffs. The brackets will be released Sunday afternoon.
Poly jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the first set and pulled away late to win it 25-19. Iamaleava had eight kills and seven digs early. Salima had seven.
Redondo responded and led 12-10 midway through the second set. Salima’s kill made it 12-11, and junior setter Kerida Rose Leomiti’s lob shot tied it at 12. The Sea Hawks scored three straight points to take the lead, 18-15, before winning the second 25-20. So’oto carried Redondo in the second set with seven kills.
Poly regained momentum and led 16-11 midway through the third set. The Jackrabbits won that set 25-18, capped by Leomiti’s block. Poly led 2-1 in sets.
With its back against the wall, Redondo jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the fourth set. Poly cut Redondo’s lead to 17-16 late in the fourth. Iamaleava’s kill tied it at 17 all.
Redondo’s miscue gave the Jackrabbits the lead, 18-17. Milburn’s kill made it 19-17. Senior middle blocker Alison Wetteland’s block made it 22-19.
Redondo battled back and tied it at 22. Salima’s point made it 23-22. Junior middle blocker Braunwyn Brown’s block won the fourth set for Redondo, 25-23.
Long Beach Poly girls volleyball wins the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship game over Redondo Union.
Poly wins it in five sets, 16-14, after trailing 14-12. pic.twitter.com/svClsx5Imy
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) November 8, 2026