LOS ALAMITOS -- On its ride through the best of Orange County girls volleyball, Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach rolled over Los Alamitos, 3-0, on Wednesday night.

The Mustangs, top seeds in the CIF-SS Division I-AA playoffs, pummeled the Griffins in a semifinal match, 25-17, 25-14, 25-15. Mira Costa has eliminated Orange County's No. 1 (Los Al) and 3 (Orange Lutheran) teams this week, with No. 2 Santa Margarita coming Saturday night at Cypress College.

“We couldn't wait to play them and finally get our chance,” Los Alamitos senior libero Kelly Holford said after the Griffins lost tight preseason matches to Mira Costa, 2-1 and 3-2.

“I think we were really timid and flat,” Holford said. “They came out ready, and it was mostly our mistakes that killed us.”

Jane Croson led the Griffins with 12 kills, but the team struggled with its passing, and the offense was mostly out of sync.

“When the stuff you're expecting to be effective (the passing game) isn't, it's tough,” Coach Dave Huber said. “I think when they got down, they tightened up and did some things they won't normally do.

“They were trying to be perfect. Didn't let the game come to them.”

Mira Costa had five aces, and 6-foot-3 USC commit Falyn Fonoimoana led all players with 14 kills and 12 digs.

“I think we showed our nerves on Monday,” Mustangs coach Lisa Zimmerman said of a young team that lost five key players from last year's championship squad. “Now, they're just playing to play hard and enjoy it. Youthful and ready to go.”

The championship will start at 7:30 p.m. (Prime Ticket).

Mira Costa topped a hobbled Santa Margarita, 2-1, during the Durango Fall Classic in September in Las Vegas.

Los Alamitos, which advanced a round farther than it did in 2007 when the Griffins lost to Redondo, will not reach the state playoffs.

“At the beginning of the year, I think we would have been happy in this situation,” Holford said. “But now, getting here and not getting into the finals — it's disappointing.”

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