If the homecoming festivities have been a distraction to Manteca’s volleyball team this week it hasn’t shown.

The Buffaloes knocked off another postseason contender Thursday, beating Kimball 25-18, 25-20, 26-24 at Winter Gym. They earlier swept third-place Lathrop on Monday and remain the lone undefeated team in the Valley Oak League at 6-0 (15-3 overall). Manteca caps the first half of league against visiting East Union next Monday. 

“It was a tough week for us,” Manteca coach Kevin Bolding said. “A lot of other things going on with homecoming. Five of our players are homecoming queen and princess candidates, so there were a lot of distractions and it can make it tough to play. But the whole group did a really great job this week handling all that.”

And the Buffs handled a dangerous Kimball (3-3, 8-7) club that features 6-foot-2 middles Yasmin Nijjar and Lauren Hicks. The Jaguars threatened to force a fourth game after leading 24-23 in the third. Kacy Bolding served out the rest of the match.

 “They just kept coming,” coach Bolding said. “They’re a good team. They didn’t quit and we knew they wouldn’t. They are coached really well and they are a veteran team.”

Kacy Bolding finished with 10 assists, 11 digs and three blocks. Kaitlyn Morenzone added six kills, 10 assists, 11 digs and three aces. Sarah Inderbitzin accumulated four kills, four blocks and two aces. Rhiannon Genilla scored five kills and three aces, while Payton Reis led the attack with seven kills.

Sophomore

Kimball 2, Manteca 0

The Buffaloes (3-3, 7-4) came up short of extending the match in the 13-25, 23-25 defeat.

Olga Perez led the defense with 10 digs. Abi Arias had six digs to go with four kills. Raelene Finley contributed a kill and a block.