The La Costa Canyon High girls volleyball team has done the expected so far this season. Now it's time for the Mavericks to make the state title run that has eluded them during their reign as San Diego Section champions.

Coming off an emotional five-game victory over rival Torrey Pines in Saturday's CIF San Diego Section Division I final, La Costa Canyon will embark on yet another foray into the CIF Division I state playoffs starting Tuesday.

After capturing a sixth straight championship, the No. 2-seeded Mavericks (33-1) will host Santa Barbara (21-6). Torrey Pines (21-9) also earned a berth and will visit top-seeded Santa Margarita (25-7), the only team to beat La Costa Canyon this year.

Cathedral Catholic (30-4) was rewarded with the No. 1 seed in Division III and will host Santa Monica (24-2).

Santa Fe Christian (28-6) gained the No. 2 seed in Division IV behind Bishop's after losing in the section final Saturday and will travel to the Elizabeth Learning Center (15-1) in Cudahy.

Tri-City Christian (20-14), the No. 1 seed in Division V, will host Walnut Southland Christian (18-2-2).

All regional tournament matches tip off at 7 p.m.

La Costa Canyon has beaten three of the eight teams -- Manhattan Beach Mira Costa in the final of the California Challenge, Dos Pueblos and Torrey Pines -- in the Southern California Regional

"I thought we would be the No. 1 seed," LCC coach Pat McDougall said. "But Santa Margarita is really tough, and they've beaten us.

"This will be a dogfight from here on out. If we can get past Santa Barbara, then we'd run right into probably Mira Costa again."

In that earlier meeting with Mira Costa, LCC had a healthy Natalie Hagglund. The junior outside hitter, who was the section's player of the year last season, has been hampered by a bad back and is currently limited to the back row.

"With a healthy Natalie, we'd have a fully set lineup for this," McDougall said. "Now with her not being able to play the frontcourt, we'll have to see how it shakes out.

"The one thing the girls have to realize is beating Torrey Pines in the finals is not the end of the season. They have to get pumped back up for these next round of matches."

La Costa Canyon has beaten Torrey Pines the last 10 times they've played, and the Falcons own a 19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 28-26 win over Santa Barbara in the Santa Barbara Tournament on Oct. 10.

For Tri-City Christian, being the No. 1 seed in Division V is nothing new. This is the third consecutive time the Eagles have earned that spot.

In each of the last two state playoffs, a team from coach Kristen Wright's hometown of Bakersfield has eliminated Tri-City Christian. Bakersfield Christian, which is now in Division IV, bounced the Eagles in the regional final in 2006 and in the second round last year.

"This will be the third trip for my seniors, and they know what it takes and what you have to avoid," Wright said. "You have to play to win, not lose.

"It's time to get it right. The third time has to be the charm because we plan to be in Irvine two weeks from now."

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