The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The Millikan girls’ volleyball team has built their success on being consistent and taking advantage of when teams make mistakes.
As the second seed in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs, the Rams did just that as they swept Summit and won a thrilling five-set match against Village Christian to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals.
However, on Wednesday the Rams found themselves unable to string together answers as they lost 25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 25-17 to Cypress.
“They played their game,” Millikan coach Antoinette De la Espirella said about Cypress. “They were not as strong or consistent when we played them last. I think this time we were the team that was not as consistent in ways and just when those momentum swings happen at a higher level, it’s too fast that it gets away from you.”
Cypress jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind solid hitting from Katrina Sokolowski and Kendel Harris that stopped Millikan runs when they tied the second set 19-19. With back-to-back kills from Harris Cypress got the lift they needed to take a commanding lead.
In the third set, Millikan battled back as they cut it to a 2-1 lead but they ultimately weren’t able to come back as Cypress jumped out to a 15-10 lead in the fourth set and didn’t look back.
Parker Brumbelow had a team-high 12 kills and Lila Walters did what she could to distribute to her hitter, but Cypress was able to defend the Rams’ attack.
“I would say our key players definitely weren’t having their best night,” Millikan coach De la Espirella said. “So that was a tough one.”
