After seven long agonizing years... San Pedro High girls volleyball finally knows how it feels to survive and advance.

Not without a fight from a very game Arleta team, the host Pirates would prevail 25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 25-21 over the Mustangs in the first round of the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division 1 playoffs.

This is the first first time San Pedro advanced out of the opening round since the 2009 team made it all the way to the championship match with a semifinal sweep of Birmingham of Lake Balboa, also the last time the Pirates hosted a playoff match.

No one was more excited about advancing more than senior setter Katie Bentovoja, who vindicated herself & the rest of sixth-seeded San Pedro (19-9 overall) from three straight first-round setbacks in her first three years of high school volleyball.

"It was exciting to say the least," said Bentovoja, who had a game-high 33 assists to go with 5 digs, a kill and a match-opening service ace. "But we came in to this match prepared and focused so I wasn't surprised at the results. I'm looking forward to the rest of playoffs because I think this team has the talent and mindset to go very far."

The majority of this match was close, with eleventh-seeded Arleta (14-12-1) showing the knack of busting off big rallies whenever they fell behind, especially in the first two sets when San Pedro held 13-10 leads. In the first set, the Pirates would cruise to a 21-12 lead on the strength of four aces from freshman defensive specialist Maya Courtney but the Mustangs battled back to tie it at 23.

Back-to-back kills from junior middle blocker Rebecca Alvarenga and junior outside hitter Selene Ramirez would close out a tense first set victory for the Pirates, but in the second set Arleta would go on a 15-3 surge to even up the match.

San Pedro would then win a wire-to-wire third set on the strength of three aces from sophomore outside hitter Sara Peterson, which offset a shaky performance with only five kills. Arleta did close the gap to 20-17, but after a side out, a momentum shifting block from Alvarenga would carry the Pirates to the crucial 2-1 edge, which Alvarenga also ended with one of her six kills on the night.

"I was really proud of myself and I was happy to get that kill for my team," Alvarenga said. "It was a great feeling."

Arleta would start the fourth set off strong, serving four consecutive aces to begin, and eventually go up 19-13, but piece by piece, San Pedro would mount one final charge on clutch kills from Peterson and Ramirez, aces from freshman libero Georgie Smith and junior defensive specialist Alison Lyons, and another kill followed by a block both from sophomore middle blocker Lauren Sutrin.

Finally with the Pirates finally ahead 22-21, they had a little more left to seal the deal with Sutrin's final of eight kills, and the first round playoff 'curse' was lifted. Ramirez was the main catalyst on this night, with a career-high of 13 kills for San Pedro. Sutrin also had three blocks, while Alvarenga had two blocks for San Pedro's 'Twin Towers'.

"The whole team was hyped up and ready to go into playoffs strong," said Ramirez, who bettered her high of 12 kills from last Monday's five-set victory at Narbonne. "So I was just feeding off of everyone's energy and getting ready for anything."

Smith had a game-high 16 digs for San Pedro, while Lyons had 13 digs and 2 aces. Peterson had 8 digs to go along with her 5 kills and 3 aces for the Pirates, a far cry from her career-high 20 kills in the victory over Narbonne but she still played with heart and determination, just like everyone else on this youthful, dangerous San Pedro team, who will travel to face third-seeded Cleveland of Reseda on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

ALSO IN THE CIF-LOS ANGELES CITY SECTION...

Port Of Los Angeles High won 20-25, 25-9, 25-21, 27-25 at No.8 Los Angeles International Charter in the first round of the CIF-LACS Division 4 playoffs. The ninth-seeded Polar Bears (11-15) got a career-night from junior middle blocker Areelle Navarro to carry them into Thursday's quarterfinal round at top-seeded Chavez of Los Angeles.

CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION 8

Three-time Santa Fe League champion Mary Star continues its amazing season with a 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 sweep of visiting Santa Clara in the first round behind another solid outing from senior outside hitter Ally Spillane, who had 14 kills and 7 aces. Sophomore libero Jena Denardo had 20 digs and six aces for the fourth-seeded Stars (17-6), who travels to Yucca Valley on Thursday in the second round at 7 pm. Mary Star is currently on a twelve-match win streak only dropping one set during this run.