Redondo Union secures championship title in Southern Section girls' beach volleyball competition
What a thrilling day at Long Beach City College! Redondo Union High School and Mira Costa handed us a nail-biting final as the Sea Hawks clinched the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Beach Volleyball title after a grueling 3-2 dual victory on Saturday. Let's take a closer look at the electrifying match between these two Bay League rivals.
With the score tied at two matches apiece, all eyes were on Redondo Union's Bella Jones and Kara Namimatsu at Court 3. Trailing Mira Costa's Lily Sprague and Allyn Hilt 11-8, the duo of Jones and Namimatsu caught fire, taking advantage of timely swings to chase down a 14-12 lead - all thanks to an ace by Jones. Sprague responded with a baseline spike to save championship point, setting up an exciting finish.
"We just knew we had to go out swinging, win or lose," a tearful Jones, who will be attending San Diego State to play indoor volleyball, shared after the game. "I was really nervous but these girls mean so much to me, and I wanted to win it for them."
Playing together for only the second time - with their first pairing just two days before in the semifinals - the Redondo Union partners built incredible chemistry. "[Our coach] said to trust each other, trust in our training," added Namimatsu, a junior transfer from Bishop Montgomery and early USC beach volleyball commit.
Meanwhile, the pairs on Court 1 and Court 2 delivered equally impressive performances. Redondo Union's Abby Zimmerman and Avery Junk cruised to a 21-17, 21-14 sweep against Mira Costa's top duo, Olga Nikolaeva and Simone Roslon. On the opposite side, Mira Costa's Audrey Flanagan and Anabelle Redaelli demonstrated their prowess with a 21-11, 21-18 win on Court 4.
In true fitting fashion for the day, the first match of the Championship tripleheader also featured a last-second victory. Long Beach Poly's Simone Millsap and Alyssa Luna held off a match point on Court 4 to win the deciding set 17-15, propelling Poly to their first Division 3 championship in program history.
It's undoubtedly an extraordinary day for Redondo Union, as they sealed their first ever Division 1 championship with the determination and tenacity of their players. But the show doesn't stop here. Both Redondo Union and Mira Costa boast underclassmen-heavy rosters, teasing a fierce Battle for the Bay League title in the coming seasons!
Further Reading:
- High school beach volleyball: Final results
- High school boys' volleyball: Playoff results and pairings
- High school girls' beach volleyball: Southern Section semifinal results and championship pairings
[1] Enrichment data: Bella Jones and Kara Namimatsu played a pivotal role in Redondo Union High School's historic CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Beach Volleyball title victory over Mira Costa on May 3, 2025. Competing at the No. 3 pair, they rallied after a slow start to secure the decisive match point with a 12-21, 21-14, 15-13 comeback win against Mira Costa's Allyn Hilt and Lily Sprague, marking Redondo Union's first Division 1 championship in program history. Earlier in the season, on March 4, 2025, Redondo Union had already snapped Mira Costa's 170-match winning streak with a 3-2 victory, foreshadowing their eventual finals triumph. Both teams featured underclassmen-heavy rosters, suggesting ongoing competitiveness in future seasons.
- Bella Jones, who will be playing indoor volleyball at San Diego State, teamed up with Kara Namimatsu to win the decisive match for Redondo Union in the CIF Division 1 Beach Volleyball Championship against Mira Costa.
- The victory at Court 3, where Greene and Salima from Mira Costa were playing, brought Redondo Union their first ever Division 1 championship.
- Luckily for Redondo Union, Jones had an ace that gave them a 14-12 lead against their rivals, ultimately helping them clinch the title.
- Namimatsu, a junior who has committed to USC's beach volleyball team, and Jones showed great chemistry during their game, playing together for only the second time.
- In the future seasons, both Redondo Union and Mira Costa, with their underclassmen-heavy rosters, seem sure to battle for the Bay League title once again.
