Crean Lutheran’s Ayla Foroutan (7) digs the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran opposite hitter Brooke Badorek (5) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union middle blocker Braunwyn Brown (37) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran setter Brooke Badorek (5) sets the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union middle blocker Sienna Castillo (10) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran middle blocker Liberty Badorek (8) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran players, left, and Redondo Union players huddle together before the start of a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran opposite hitter Petra Curry (23) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union middle blocker Sienna Castillo (10) tips the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union outside hitter Leah Blair (12) hits the ball while Crean Lutheran’s Sadie Robinson (33), middle, and Liberty Badorek (8) put up a block during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game between the two teams in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran middle blocker Liberty Badorek (8) blocks the ball at the net during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union outside hitter Leah Blair (12) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union setter Marlo Libbey (1) dives on the court as she digs the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union middle blocker Sienna Castillo (10) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union middle blocker Sienna Castillo (10) tips the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran opposite hitter Brooke Badorek (5) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran opposite hitter Brooke Badorek (5) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran defensive specialist Caroline Park (21) digs the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Redondo Union in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union setter Marlo Libbey (1), left, makes a quick set for middle blocker Abbie Hairrell (17) during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Redondo Union outside hitter Leah Blair (12) hits the ball during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran outside hitter Sadie Robinson (33), left, hits the ball while Redondo Unions’ Brooke Bradford (25), middle, and Abbie Hairrell (17) put up a block during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game between the two teams in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crean Lutheran outside hitter Olivia Kim (15), left, hits the ball while Redondo Unions’ Leah Blair (12), middle, and Abbie Hairrell (17) put up a block during a first round CIF-SS Division 2 playoff game between the two teams in Irvine on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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IRVINE – It was going to be a challenge for the Crean Lutheran girls volleyball team.
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The Saints’ opponent in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs was Redondo Union, a team with several college-committed players, a team that finished third in the always-good Bay League, a team that had beaten Sunset League champion Los Alamitos.
Crean Lutheran senior outside hitter Brooklyn Jones, the probable Crestview League player of the year, collapsed midway through the second set with a knee injury.
The Saints were swept by Redondo Union, 25-15, 25-16, 25-16.
The Sea Hawks will be the home against No. 1 seed Newport Harbor in the quarterfinals Tuesday. Newport Harbor swept Los Osos in in the first round Tuesday.
Crean Lutheran finished the season 24-5 overall. The Saints went 8-0 in the Crestview League. They took a nine-match winning streak into Tuesday’s match.
The Saints already were without their setter, senior Jaylin Kim, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament earlier this season.
“We faced a lot of adversity this year,” said Crean Lutheran coach Anna Dyer, in her third season coaching the Saints. “They had to rally every time and show leadership in different ways. I’m really proud of them for fighting to the end.”
Jones, a 6-2 outside hitter, had completed a kill that trimmed Crean’s deficit in the first set to 14-10 when she went down with an injury.
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The Sea Hawks outscored the Saints 7-1 from there on the way to win the set, 25-15.
The severity of Jones’ injury was unknown immediately after the match.
Crean Lutheran had a 7-4 lead in the second set. Redondo, with 6-4 senior Abbie Hairrell among the Sea Hawks’ front-line wall, caught up and pulled away to beat the Saints, 25-16.
Redondo, with its size advantage at the net again being a major difference, dominated the third set to finish the match with a 25-16 win.
Several players kept Crean Lutheran competitive in the match, including sophomore middle blocker Liberty Badorek, junior opposite hitter Brooke Badorek and senior libero Ella Olson.
Hairrell, who is committed to Oregon, had nine kills. Redondo 5-11 senior outside hitter Lea Blair, who is committed to Washington for beach volleyball, also had nine kills.
Dyer said this year’s Crean Lutheran team was a special one.
“They have meshed better than any team I’ve coached here,” she said. “They worked incredibly hard. It was really an awesome year and I wouldn’t want this one game to define it.”
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This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 11:04 PM.
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