The562’s coverage of high school volleyball in 2026 is brought to you by the MLP’s Bay Area Breakers.
The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
It was the end of the road for the Millikan girls’ volleyball team on Wednesday night, as the Rams had their hands full while hosting Flintridge Prep in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs. Outside of a tightly contested second set, the Rams struggled to find answers against the Wolves, falling 25-16, 28-26, 25-20.
“We just didn’t come out as strong as we were talking about and as strong as we’ve been working on at practice,” said Millikan coach Gus Tuaniga. “We tried to move and make some changes, but I just rode it out with my seniors. They’ve been very close with each other and I wanted them to fight it out.”
Millikan struggled in the serve-and-pass game, which has been an issue for the Rams this year against aggressive-serving teams. Flintridge Prep recorded 12 aces on Wednesday compared to eight from Millikan, while the Wolves stuck to their outside hitters when in system. Makayla Jones finished with 11 kills and six aces, while Frankie Callaway had six kills.
Despite the loss, Millikan had a great 29-assist performance from senior setter Lila Walters, while junior outside hitter Estela Lopez subbed into the game midway through the first set and finished with a team-high 11 kills. Seniors Gabriella Islas and Cheyenne Lander both chipped in seven kills in the loss.
After a dominant first set from the Wolves, Millikan put up its best frame in the second, leaning on an 8-2 run that included four kills from Lopez to take a 21-18 lead. Flintridge Prep put together an immediate response with a 5-0 run, aided by four Millikan hitting errors, to take a 23-21 lead.
To Millikan’s credit, the Rams continued to battle back, fighting off Flintridge Prep’s first set point before earning one of their own at 26-25. However, the Wolves would go on a 3-0 run to close out the set, as Jones put down back-to-back aces to close out the frame and give Flintridge Prep a two-set lead.
“It’s been the same issue with our serve and pass. Especially that second set, it came down to two aces at the end,” Tuaniga said. “If we’re not going to succeed in those things then it’s going to be a tough time. That has to be our bread and butter.”
Millikan lost most of its momentum at the end of that second set, as Flintridge Prep opened the third on a 7-2 run that included four more aces from Jones, who had six aces over the Wolves’ previous nine points. A three-point run late in the set brought Millikan within two, but the Wolves went on another 3-0 run to close out the match, ending with a kill from Jones.
The loss was not only the final game for six Millikan seniors, but also marked the end of Tuaniga’s first year with the Rams, where Millikan finished 10-9 with a second-place finish in the Moore League. Tuaniga shared a heartfelt moment with his entire team after the game but said he’s excited for what’s in store for the future of the program.
“We’re going to be doing a lot more now that I’ve gotten to experience my first year. I came in a little bit late, but I’m excited to next have a whole offseason and the summer to play in some tournaments and do some traveling,” Tuaniga said. “There’s a lot to look forward to.”
Flintridge Prep will advance to the second round of the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs and is set to host Corona del Mar on Saturday.
