SO. SECTION DIVISION I-A: ROYAL WINS TO EARN DATE WITH TOP SEED ROYAL 3, CAMARILLO 0.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - It's an assignment many girls' volleyball teams might consider too difficult to approach with a straight face. Laugh it off, have a nice trip and make a quiet exit from the Southern Section playoffs.

But tradition-rich Royal High of Simi Valley isn't your ordinary second-round patsy. So drawing Division I-A's top-seeded Mira Costa Mustangs won't discourage the Highlanders that advancing further isn't realistic.

Royal cruised past visiting Camarillo 15-9, 15-5, 15-6 Tuesday night to set up Thursday's trip to Manhattan Beach.

The Highlanders (15-10) have already faced plenty of Mira Costa-level quality, including top programs from Northern California (Archbishop Mitty of San Jose) and San Diego (Torrey Pines). They have also played defending Division III state champion Harvard-Westlake of Studio City and had two Marmonte League matchups with section title contender Westlake.

And making deep postseason runs is nothing new to Royal, whose main core played on last season's section semifinal participants.

``Don't suit up if you don't plan on winning,'' coach Travis Ferguson said. ``I say that anytime we're playing and against anyone we're playing. Why take the trip if you don't plan on winning?

``We're used to playing in playoff matches, we're used to the atmosphere. If you perform, you get to continue playing. It's not a whole lot more complicated than that.''

Royal players said they won't feel pressure against favored Mira Costa. But they echo the feelings of their coach: This won't be a ``we're tickled to be here'' group getting off the bus.

``We're just going down there to play our hearts out,'' said setter Nicole Grover, who had 30 assists and served 17 of Royal's 45 points against Camarillo (9-9). ``We'll fight as hard as we can.''

Junior Jennifer Atkin, like Grover a veteran varsity player, had a match-high 17 kills and showed an ability to finish off points with authority. Senior Lindsay Kelly contributed seven kills.

``I think it was a good chance to get our nerves out a little with this being our first playoff match,'' Atkin said. ``I think we have just as much potential (as last season's team).''

Especially if the Highlanders can serve the way they did against the Scorpions, who were consistently forced into bad passes.

``We have to have that every night for us to be strong,'' Ferguson said. ``The best matches we've had have been when we've served the ball well.''

Camarillo got eight kills from Kelsey Hart but never established momentum.

``It's the first time in four years we've been in second place (in the Pacific View League) and got an away match (in the opener),'' Scorpions coach Chris Lawler said. ``We were very jittery about it.''