Volleyball schools Oxford

The Laguna Beach High girls’ volleyball team opened the CIF-Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs with an easy victory over Oxford Academy of Cypress.

As expected, the fourth-seeded Breakers had little trouble with the visiting Patriots, sweeping by scores of 25-12, 25-20, 25-18 at Dugger Gym.

“We played good enough to win,” Laguna coach Lance Stewart said. “We won that first game pretty easily and I thought the girls let up on their intensity a little after that.

“Zoe Garrett had one of her better offensive showings of the year, and Piper Obradovich, stepping in for her injured sister, Paige, did a great job. She stepped in and dug balls and played tough.”

Garrett had nine kills and Obradovich served up 11 points, including two on aces. Dana Hutchinson finished with 17 kills and eight digs, and Stephanie Darnall had 10 kills and eight digs.

Pacific Coast League champion Laguna played at Cornelia Connelly of Anaheim Thursday in a second-round match, a game taking place too late for this edition. A victory over the Koalas would move Laguna into Saturday’s quarterfinal round against the winner of Thursday’s match between La Reina and Bishop Conaty-Loretto at 7 p.m. Saturday at a site to be determined today.

Oxford Academy was the No. 3 team from the Academy League.

In girls’ tennis:

Laguna’s top team of senior Claire Rietsch and junior Lyndsay Kinstler won the Pacific Coast League doubles championship Monday.

The duo defeated sisters Haley and Miranda Young, 6-1, 6-0, in the final.

Laguna had great success in doubles action, as two other teams -- Katie Ochwat and Kellie Ammerman, and Lorren Butterwick and Lauren Thigpen -- advanced to the semifinal round.

Ochwat and Ammerman were eliminated by Rietsch and Kinstler, and Butterwick and Thigpen fell to the Young sisters.

“I thought all of the doubles teams did a tremendous job,” Laguna coach Greg Weiss said. “It was great to get three teams into the semis. It was tough to see Katie and Kellie go up against Claire and Lyndsay, and I thought that Lorren and Lauren played really well in their loss to the Young sisters.”

Rietsch won her third Pacific Coast League championship in four years. The senior won the singles crown during her freshman and junior years.

Laguna, the second-place team from the Pacific Coast League, hosted Westlake, the No. 3 team from the Marmonte League, in a first-round Division I playoff match Thursday, too late for this edition. A win in that match would send the Breakers onto the second-round of action, which will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday, against the winner of Thursday’s match between Upland and Laguna Hills.

In boys’ water polo:

Laguna opened play Thursday in the CIF-Southern Section Division I playoffs. The Breakers, the third-seed out of the Pacific Coast League, took on South Coast League champion Mission Viejo.PHOTOS BY MARK DUSTIN / COASTLINE PILOTLaguna Beach’s Katie Ochwat hits a forehand return during doubles play at the league championships at Corona del Mar Friday. Ochwat teamed up with Kellie Ammerman. 20051111ippt6fkn(LA) Zoe Garrett hits over the block of an Oxford player at Tuesday’s CIF playoff game at Laguna High. 20051111ippt60kn(LA)Laguna Beach’s Katie Ochwat hits a forehand return during doubles play at the league championships at Corona del Mar Friday. Ochwat teamed up with Kellie Ammerman.