DESERT HOT SPRINGS — Backed by a spirited home crowd, the Desert Hot Springs girls' volleyball team advanced to the semifinals of the CIF Division IV-A playoffs by defeating Nordhoff High School in five games, 16-25, 25-22. 25-18, 16-25, 15-10.

Coach Heather Yarbrough expressed nothing but praise for her team.

“This girls played great defensively, especially our blockers Briana Moore and Savannah Seltzer,” Yarbrough said. “They stepped up and did a great job of playing the net well and stopping all their quick attacks. It took them out of their comfort zone and forced them to change their game.”

Yarbrough also thinks very highly of her team's chances in the semifinals.

“I think we can play with anybody in our division. My girls will take on any challenge. They're not afraid to take on the tough teams,” Yarbrough said.

After splitting the first four games, the teams went to a fifth game in which Nordhoff led 8-7 until the Golden Eagles went on an 8-2 run to finish off the Rangers and earn the victory.

Senior Mariela Ortega credited her team's resiliency as the reason for the victory.

“We know going into this match that it wasn't going to be easy to win, so we knew we had to give that extra effort,” Ortega said. “Our biggest strength is our heart and we had alot of it tonight.”

Leading the Golden Eagles were Chyann Saban with 29 digs and Ortega with 25 digs, 13 kills and two aces. Moore had five kills, four assists and four blocks and Vanessa Burgos had 32 assists.

Desert Hot Springs (15-4) will travel to Burbank on Tuesday to face Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, who defeated Twentynine Palms 3-1 on Saturday. The match begins at 7 p.m.