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Sierra Canyon’s Hanna McGinest (3) returns a serve in first-set action in the CIF Girls Volleyball Division One Playoffs on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Sierra Canyon defeated Los Alamitos 25-13, 25-14 and 25-13. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Sierra Canyon’s Hanna McGinest (3) returns a serve in first-set action in the CIF Girls Volleyball Division One Playoffs on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Sierra Canyon defeated Los Alamitos 25-13, 25-14 and 25-13. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
CHATSWORTH – Outside hitter Hanna McGinest (commits to Texas Tech) was following her older sisters Halie and Rylie long before she became one of the dominant forces for Sierra Canyon’s girls volleyball team.
McGinest watched her sisters take lessons when she was 6 and growing up in Long Beach. She eventually followed in the same footsteps as Rylie, who plays as a middle blocker at USC, and Halie, who is a defensive specialist at Howard University.
“I was very young and I was always going up against the older girls,” McGinest said.
Her vertical and high power were on display as Sierra Canyon cruised past Los Alamitos, 25-13, 25-14, 25-13, in CIF Southern Section Open Pool play on Tuesday.
Sierra Canyon (31-1) will host Mira Costa (21-6-1) in a pool-play game Saturday at 4:30 p.m. for the right to play in the Open Division final Nov. 7 at Cerritos College.
The Trailblazers used their form of entertainment with Nebraska commit Kendall Omoruyi sitting out. USC-committed outside hitter McKenna McIntosh, Tennessee-committed outside hitter Eva Jeffries and Missouri-committed setter Lucky Fasavalu made the team’s offense.
Omoruyi destroyed the home kills set by Fasavalu. She danced, high notes, smiled and laughed after her performances.
“I just wanted to show for my team because I hadn’t been there,” Omoruyi said. “It’s important to have fun during playoff season because everything is going hand-in-hand in your mind. Our coaches really take care of us that way. Stefanie (Wigfall) not only takes care of our athletes, but she takes care of us off the field as well.”
Sierra Canyon faces Mira Costa on Saturday. The two teams faced each other at the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu on August 14. It was the Trailblazers’ third game of the season.
Sierra Canyon won the match winning the third set, 15-8. In that match, sophomore outside hitter Lily Vandeweghe finished with 10 kills for Mira Costa.
Fasavalu shared how chemistry is built by her teammates.
“It’s the people you share it with,” Fasavalu said. “The people you share it with are one reason you love the game.”
Sierra Canyon ended Tuesday night by celebrating first-year assistant coach Jayden Jordan’s birthday. She is the granddaughter of famous Decathlon gold medalist Rafer Johnson.
Jordan played volleyball in college, including at Long Beach State. Fasavalu and McGinest shared the impact Jordan has made in her first year of coaching.
“She helps us and she’s like a big sister to us,” McGinest said.
CIF-SS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Tuesday’s results
Open division
Oaks Christian def. Harvard-Westlake, 25-19, 27-25, 25-21
quarterfinal
Division 2
Long Beach Pole def. Notre Dame, 25-14, 25-19, 25-19
Division 8
Defining the San Jacinto Valley. Burbank in five sets
Division 9
Orange def. Glendale in five groups
