Temecula Prep, Moreno Valley eye titles

The Temecula Prep and Moreno Valley girls volleyball teams have shown dominance in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, and each of the squads are one victory away from capturing the first section championship in their program’s history.

Temecula Prep (26-5) is the

No. 1 seed in Division 8 and faces unseeded Geffen Academy (17-5) for the championship tonight at Marymount High School in Los Angeles.

The Patriots are looking to win the school’s first section title in any sport.

Temecula Prep brings a 13-match winning streak into the championship match, and the Patriots have dropped only one set during the playoffs. Junior

middle blocker Abby Pekrul has averaged 5.4 kills per set over the past two matches. Junior middle blocker Sidney Gray had 10 kills and 3 1/2 blocks and junior setter Jane Bacani had five aces in the semifinals.

Geffen Prep finished third in the Coastal League, one of the top small school volleyball leagues in the Southern Section. The league’s top two teams, Wildwood and CAMS, are the two finalists in the Division 7 bracket.

Moreno Valley (15-15) is the No. 2 seed in the Division 9 and hosts top-seeded Rosemead (173) for the championship tonight.

The Vikings are looking to become the school’s first team to claim a section championship since 1999 (girls basketball).

Like Temecula Prep, Moreno Valley has dropped only one set en route to reaching the finals.

The Vikings knocked off crosstown and Inland Valley League rival Canyon Springs in the semifinal round.

Senior setter Venus Bush guides a balanced offensive attack.

Rosemead, co-champion of Mission Valley League, swept its first three playoff opponents and rallied from two sets down to win its semifinal match against Hesperia Christian.