Climbing the ladder

The Arroyo Grande girls volleyball team's season has stalled in the CIF-Southern Section divisional quarterfinals each of the past six seasons.

The Eagles are hoping to end that streak this year by finally breaking into the final four. They've got the talent with PAC 7 MVP setter Olivia Trudeau and their top five hitters back, including senior Brooke Arnold (right *Tribune file photo by Jayson Mellom). But if they want to extend their year, they've got to get a better playoff seed.

One way to ensure that is to improve their ranking.

Not to slight San Luis Obispo and Nipomo, but wins over county rivals just aren't impressing the Southern Section poll gurus. Another undefeated romp through the PAC 7 isn't going to get Arroyo Grande much. The Eagles only got a No. 8 seed out of it in 2006.

What Arroyo Grande needs to do is play its best in two non-conference tournaments this month. Otherwise, the Eagles could end up with another tough seed against another of the heaviest hitters from the south.

Circle these dates if you're Arroyo Grande: This Saturday, the Eagles head to the San Luis Obispo High tournament; and September 29, they play against a field of mainly Ventura County teams at Royal High in Simi Valley.

These are the spots where Arroyo Grande can improve on the preseason No. 8 ranking assigned to them by the section.

Oh, and it seems you aren't the only one reading this blog. See below.

AG girls volleyball

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