The562’s coverage of high school volleyball in 2026 is brought to you by the MLP’s Bay Area Breakers.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The combined tuition of Long Beach Poly’s first two playoff opponents is over $90,000 a year. On Tuesday night, the Jackrabbits (tuition: free) continued a priceless playoff run with its second consecutive postseason sweep. The “public powerhouse” once again got strong service in an impressive balanced effort, winning 25-14, 25-19, 25-19.
“Our service pressure was on tonight,” said Poly girls’ volleyball coach Gerald Aquiningoc. “We kept (their setter) running all over the place and kept them from getting into a rhythm. There were some extended rallies and we won those. I felt like we controlled the momentum swings tonight.”
Indeed the Jackrabbits only trailed 1-0 in the third set, otherwise leading the match from wire to wire. After the victory the team joined together on their side of the court for an extended dance party, letting their emotions fly.
“There’s just so much chemistry on this team, they’re super locked in together,” said Aquiningoc. “That’s where their confidence comes from, is from each other.”
The Jackrabbits were locked in a tight first set leading 14-12 when UC Irvine commit McKenna Iamaleava stepped to the back line to serve. She proceeded to take control of the match with a six-serve run that included a pair of no-doubt aces. After the Knights were able to side out, Poly’s next serve went to Illinois commit Cika Talaga, who ripped off her own pair of aces as part of an extended service run.
Suddenly a two-point frame was a 23-13 Poly blowout.
The Jackrabbits got a ton of offensive production from pin hitter Avery Milburn, who led the team with 13 kills on the night, nine of which were in the first two frames. Poly has featured a balanced offense all year, and Tuesday was Milburn’s turn to take the reins, finishing the ball with a variety of attacks.
“In practice I’ve been working on not just swinging all the time but also using my whole toolbox,” said Milburn. “I felt like that’s been helping me a lot. Translating that into the game I was like, ‘just lock in.’”
The Jackrabbits controlled the second set wire to wire as well, and led 19-10 in the third set after back-to-back aces from Talaga. The Knights went on a run at that point, coming as close as 20-17 before Poly closed it out, thanks to a kill from Aleeya Salima, a well-timed dump by setter Kerida Leomiti two kills from Iamaleava, and a big match-point kill by Lailah Clayborne
That set off the big celebration for the Jackrabbits, which Milburn said was as fun as it looked.
“We’ve been preparing for so long for this,” she said. “Every day we show up to practice and work. Our quote this week was, ‘Don’t hope, execute.’ I feel like we came in today and that was our mantra and we accomplished that. The celebration was just, we work so hard and we’re excited to win together.”
In addition to Milburn’s 13 kills, Poly got 12 from Saleema, eight from Iamaleava, and five from Clayborne. Iamaleava and Talaga both had four aces apiece, with Keola Napoleon Alvarez adding a ninth team ace. Poly got three blocks from Allison Wetteland, as well as 19 digs from Iamaleava and 13 from Talaga.
The Jackrabbits’ two-setter system of Mina Orbiso and Leomiti worked well in tandem as always, combining for 36 assists (23 by Orbiso and 13 by Leomiti).
Poly’s setting duo operates with more continuity than is typical for a two-setter team, which Aquiningoc said is not an accident.
“It’s a practice focus, they both know the system well and they know where we want to work,” said Aquiningoc. “They have all their same reads and their first, second, third, and fourth options, and they’re good—they’re making the right decisions a lot lately.”
The Jackrabbits have already clinched a berth in the state playoffs but are hungry for another CIF-SS championship—the next step is a home match on Halloween against Murrieta Valley in the semifinals, with a trip to next weekend’s championship on the line.
