RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA -- The final obstacle, the only girls volleyball team that defeated La Costa Canyon High this season, has been removed.

The Mavericks, seeded No. 2 in the CIF State Division I playoffs, are now headed to the place where everyone expected them to be -- playing for the state championship.

La Costa Canyon gained entry to Saturday's championship match at 7 p.m. at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine by virtue of a convincing 27-25, 25-23, 15-16 road victory Tuesday night over top-seeded Santa Margarita of Rancho Santa Margarita to win the Southern California Regional crown.

The Mavericks, ranked No. 2 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com. will take on Northern California champion Cupertino Homestead.

By beating Santa Margarita in its own gym, LCC avenged a loss to the Eagles (27-8) in the Redondo Power Classic back on Nov. 1.

That earlier loss was on the minds of every one of the Mavericks (36-1) heading into the match in the Eagles' gym.

"We wanted to win more than they did," said junior setter Kendall Polan, who led the way with nine blocks to go with one kill and two aces. "We fixed our blocking a little after the first meeting because they killed us with that."

And the match was a contrast to the Mavs' lone loss this season when the Eagles were the aggressor.

This time, it was the Mavericks who led the way in all aspects, leading in kills (40-29), blocks (20-15) and serving aces (6-4).

The Mavs also led in service errors (11-4).

"That proved they were more aggressive," Santa Margarita coach Cristy Chapman-Uhrig said. "They were way more aggressive this time, and our passing wasn't good enough to stand up to them.

"They've beaten everyone else in the state except us. I'm proud that we beat them once.

"We hung with them the first two games. It could have gone either way. They just played better at the end of each game."

La Costa Canyon grabbed its final lead in the first game at 24-23.

In the second game, the Mavs took charge for good at 23-22.

In the third game, the score was tied 13-13 when an 8-2 run helped push the Mavericks to Saturday's state finals.

Several times the Eagles grabbed what would be a very good lead against most teams. Not against the Mavericks, who finished off the match with a 4-0 run.

For example, the Eagles led 18-14 in the second game before a Natalie Loos kill got the rally started.

It was that way all night long.

Two years ago, La Costa Canyon lost the regional finals to eventual state champion Los Alamitos. Though very few players and coaches are still around from that disappointment, senior opposite Katie Fuller is one of them.

She now understands what Los Alamitos felt like after that upset victory and how different it was from what she and her teammates felt that night at home.

"We just wanted to show them who we are this time," said Fuller, who collected nine kills, two blocks and an ace. "They outplayed us in Redondo, but this time we came out with more energy. Maybe it surprised them.

"Thinking back to two years ago, this feels special. Now I know we can go all the way. We've gone through everyone else.

"It's our time."

Senior outside hitter Lydia Rudnick continued her fine play for LCC with a team-high 12 kills to go with three blocks and an ace. Loos had eight kills and four blocks while Natalie Hagglund added five kills, a block and an ace.

Santa Margarita, the CIF Southern Section Division I champion, answered back with Sam Tinsley's 11 kills and six kills from Kylie Hargreaves and five more kills from Kenna Crouse.

"Once we got to that last 24th point, I knew this was really happening," Rudnick said. "Now we have a chance to do something no one else from LCC has ever done -- win state.

"Ever since we lost to them in Redondo we knew we'd have to see them again. There was too much at stake to lose again.

"We knew this time we would show them what La Costa Caynon volleyball is all about."

It may well be about winning that elusive state championship.

Contact staff writer Terry Monahan at (760) 739-6648 or tmonahan@nctimes.com.