Volleyball: Loyola sweeps Mira Costa in rivalry match

The fans were out en force on Friday night at Loyola Marymount, where Loyola and Mira Costa engaged in their usual lively, entertaining rivalry volleyball match.

It was the Cubs coming away with a 25-22, 25-19, 25-22 sweep of Mira Costa.

Matt Reilly had 12 kills to lead an outstanding team effort.

The match has great meaning because many of the players on both teams know each other so well from playing with and against each other in the South Bay. Six players on Loyola live in Manhattan Beach, and they can’t wait to walk around the neighborhood on Saturday morning wearing Loyola gear.

“It is such a storied rivalry,” said Reilly, who lives in Manhattan Beach. ¿

The match started well for Mira Costa (7-2), ranked No. 3 in Division 1. Roy McFarland’s jump serves were giving the Cubs all kinds of trouble when Mira Costa opened a 9-5 lead in the first set. But the Cubs settled down behind Reilly and senior Luke Nassif.

They went on to win the first set and never looked back in a dominating performance.

“It was the most fun game of my life,” Nassif said. “There was so much energy every play. The setters were setting perfectly. It was a team effort. It was amazing. Everybody played their best.”

Coach Michael Boehle now must find a way to get his Cubs (11-1) to compete with powerful Huntington Beach, the team that defeated Loyola in the Best of the West tournament earlier this season and is the two-time defending Division 1 champs.

“If everybody buys in like tonight, we have a chance,” Nassif said.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer