Breakers finding groove

The Laguna Beach girls’ volleyball team improved to 4-2 on the season by coming back from a game down to defeat visiting Torrey Pines, 23-25, 28-26, 25-15, 25-21, Tuesday.

Chanel Stewart had 21 kills and 19 digs, Marina Paul added 19 kills and 18 digs, Caroline Holte had nine kills and junior setter Allison Palmer had 47 set assists and 11 digs.

In previous action at the Dave Mohs Tournament that ended Monday, Laguna won its pool and advanced to the Division 1 championship bracket. The Breakers defeated Huntington Beach, 25-15, 25-15, before being eliminated by Los Alamitos, 25-18, 25-21. The Breakers led Los Al in both games, including 18-12 in the second game. The Griffins went on to defeat Newport Harbor to repeat as Division 1 champion.

During the tournament, Laguna defeated Marina (25-17, 25-20), Santa Margarita (25-21, 25-21) and El Dorado (22-25, 25-19, 22-20) in pool play.

The Breakers, ranked second in Division 1-A, play at fourth-ranked Corona del Mar in a key nonleague match Tuesday.

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Girls’ Tennis

In the past week, Laguna Beach picked up victories against Sage Hill and El Toro.

Last Friday, the Breakers were 10-8 victors against visiting Sage Hill in a match that went to the wire. The triumph was the first of the season for Laguna.

Taylor Nederlander again swept at No. 1 singles for the Breakers, winning 6-0, 6-0, 6-0. Nederlander, a sophomore, improved to 9-0 on the season in the match. Laguna’s No. 1 doubles team of Claire Jaeger and Haley Moss turned in a strong performance and swept their opponents by scores of 6-4, 6-3, 6-0. Freshman singles player Stephanie Tat and the doubles team of Chloe Mansour and Kate McMahon also picked up key wins for the Breakers.

On Tuesday, Laguna turned back host El Toro, 11-7, in nonleague play. The Breakers started off strong in the first round, where they won five of six. In round one singles for the Breakers, Nederlander defeated the Chargers’ Kelsey Markle (6-0) and Bianca Sganga defeated Ashley Glick, 6-2. Nederlander and Sganga were subbed out after the first round, Laguna Coach Alec Horton said. In doubles, Parker Poche’ and Aislin Elkin won by scores of 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, Jaeger and Moss won, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0, and McMahon and Mansour (LB) won two of three (7-5, 6-4, 5-7).

In a Sept. 14 12-6 loss to Dana Hills, Nederlander swept at No. 1 singles and got a huge win over Joanna Smith, the Dolphins’ No. 1 player who is ranked 10th in Southern California in the girls’ 18s.

The Breakers begin defense of their Orange Coast League title at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Estancia. They’ll host Mater Dei in a nonleague match at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at Los Caballeros in Fountain Valley, then return to league play Thursday (3 p.m.) hosting Calvary Chapel.

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Cross-Country

Matt Neev collected his second victory of the season Saturday when he won the senior boys’ Division 2 race at the Mt. Carmel Invitational in San Diego. Neev won the race in 15 minutes 37 seconds.

Breakers Coach Scott Wittkop ran only half the varsity team at the meet. Other top times for the Breakers included: Alex Toro (18:08), Tyler Nichols (18:33), Mitch Kimball (18:44), Kevin Tovar (19:00), Kevin McQuaid (19:13), Veda Rebollar (19:39) and William Robinson (19:52).

Taylor Capobianco was Laguna’s top finisher (19:06) and placed 33rd in the senior girls’ Division 2 race. Teammate Sophie Radach (19:18) was 39th in the race.

Laguna competes Saturday at the Stanford Invitational.

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CIF rankings

Three Laguna Beach teams — in boys’ water polo, girls’ volleyball and boys’ cross-country — are ranked in the top 10 in their respective CIF Southern Section polls this week. The weekly rankings were released Monday.

Boys’ Division 4 Water Polo: 1. Laguna Beach; 2. Palos Verdes; 3. Damien; 4. Aliso Niguel; 5. Mira Costa; 6. Capo Valley; 7. Peninsula; 8. Santa Monica; 9. South Pasadena; 10. La Canada.

Girls’ Division 1-A volleyball: 1. Redlands East Valley; 2. Laguna Beach; 3. Marymount; 4. Corona del Mar; 5. El Dorado; 6. Los Osos; 7. Vista Murrieta; 8. Arroyo Grande; 9. Valencia/Valencia; 10. Saugus.

Boys’ Division 4 cross-country: 1. Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks; 2. JSerra; 3. Crespi; 4. Harvard/Westlake; 5. Maranatha; 6. Bosco Tech; 7. Laguna Beach; 8. Salesian; 9. Big Bear; 10. Murrieta Mesa.