Los Alamitos players celebrate their victory in 5 sets over Newport Harbor following a Sunset League match in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos outside hitter Tyleani Allen (19) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos middle blocker Audrey Belikoff (10) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor and Los Alamitos players huddle with their teammates before the start of a Sunset League match between the two teams in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Piper Coady (19) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos middle blocker Grace Schroeder (7) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor middle blocker Morgan Starkenburg (15) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos setter Royal Banducci (18) sets the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos outside hitter Charlotte Hall (13) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Ella Olson (2) hits the ball past Los Alamitos blockers Lucy Sanzaro (9), left, and Genesis Botts (8) during a Sunset League match between the two teams in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Piper Coady (19) tips the ball over Los Alamitos blockers during a Sunset League match in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Paulina Zahn (15) finds herself alone at the net as she hits the ball on a quick set during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos outside hitter Tyleani Allen (19) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos outside hitter Tyleani Allen (19) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Ella Olson (2) tips the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor middle blocker Morgan Starkenburg (15) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos outside hitter Lucy Sanzaro (9) hits the ball during a Sunset League match against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor setter Avery Hansen (25) sets the ball to teammate Morgan Starkenburg (15) during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Ella Olson (2) digs the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor outside hitter Ella Olson (2) tips the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor setter Avery Hansen (25) spikes the ball on a sneak attack during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Newport Harbor’s Natalie Wells (10) digs the ball during a Sunset League match against Los Alamitos in Newport Beach on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
NEWPORT BEACH – The Los Alamitos girls volleyball team’s streak lives on.
Barely.
The Griffins rallied to beat Newport Harbor in five sets Wednesday, 16-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 16-14, at Newport Harbor High to increase their Sunset League winning streak to 29 matches.
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The win gave Los Alamitos at least a share of its third straight league championship.
Los Alamitos, ranked No. 3 in the Orange County Top 10, is 23-5 overall and 10-0 in league. It has two league matches left to play, against Corona del Mar and Marina.
No. 4 Newport Harbor (25-6, 7-2) is in second place in the six-team Sunset League. The Sailors have three league games remaining, against Fountain Valley, Corona del Mar and Huntington Beach.
In the decisive fifth set, the teams traded the lead a couple of times before the Griffins won, 16-14.
Los Alamitos sophomore Tyleani Allen, a 5-10 outside hitter, had team-highs of 17 kills and five service aces. Griffins senior Charlotte Hall had 11 kills and 6-2 senior Genesis Botts contributed seven kills.
Griffins setter Royal Banducci had a team-leading 22 assists. Senior setter Caitlyn Rother added 18 assists.
Newport Harbor senior Ella Olson, All-Orange County first team last season and committed to Texas, was her usual outstanding self, scoring points with kills and making spectacular digs.
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Los Alamitos senior libero Kaitlyn Herweg said the Griffins simply did not play well in their first-set loss.
“Our defense wasn’t great in the first set,” said Herweg, who committed to Indiana. “It was a lot easier to get around (the Sailors front row) in the second set and our serving got better.”
Los Alamitos coach Dave Huber, in his 20th season leading the team, said there was no single player who got the team going in the right direction.
“We were so bad to start,” he said, “that there was no way one person was going to dig us out of that hole.”
Newport Harbor can be a tough venue for opponents, with its low cross beams attached to the ceiling of its old gym. The ball often bounces around those beams and descends in an unexpected path.
“I don’t know about that getting in our heads,” Herweg said. “But it does make us think a little more. The ball goes straight up and you hope it doesn’t hit something.”
In the latest Massey Ratings, which the CIF Southern Section will use to place teams into playoff divisions and seed them, Los Alamitos is No. 4 overall and Newport Harbor is No. 7. Last season the Division 1 had 12 teams in its playoff bracket.
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The CIF Southern Section girls volleyball playoffs begin Oct. 21.