A sprained ankle kept Taimane Tu’uga sidelined for five out of Manteca’s 12 Valley Oak League matches, and her absence was felt in that stretch.
It didn’t keep her from earning one of the top postseason awards, however, as she was named the VOL’s Most Outstanding Player.
The junior outside hitter enjoyed a breakout junior campaign in which she led the Buffaloes (10-2, 16-9 overall) to a share of their first league championship since 2021. They forced the title share with Oakdale (10-2, 14-15) by winning their regular-season finale against the Mustangs, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22. Tu’uga churned out a match-high 16 kills.
Oakdale garnered the rest of the high honors, as setter/right-side hitter Jadeyn Riley got MVP recognition, and Jennifer Guzman is Coach of the Year.
Tu’uga is one of seven Manteca players to make all-league.
Despite missing the five league matches, she finished just off the team lead in kills with 106 (4.6 per set) in VOL play. Her .306 hitting percentage is a team best. Tu’uga also had digs 58 and 17 service aces.
She got injured during Manteca’s five-set win over then-defending champion Central Catholic (6-6, 11-15), and the Buffs went on to drop to of their next five VOL matches. The losses were to Oakdale and Sierra, dropping them from sole possession of first place to second.
Manteca had the talent to stay in the hunt while its top player was on the mend.
Four Buffaloes were selected to the all-league first team.
Senior outside hitter Saniyah Anthony (111 kills, 129 digs, 27 aces) and junior middle Trinity Todd (92 kills, 40 blocks) were elevated after earning second-team spots last season. Joining them are senior middle/opposite Talia Shellbourne (80 kills, 24 blocks) and setter Riley Ward (281 assists, 83 digs, 22 aces, 20 kills, four blocks).
Senior defensive specialist Peyton McDonald (150 digs, 27 assists, 17 aces) and sophomore right-side hitter Aricili McBroom (60 kills, 35 aces, 121 digs) were selected to the second team.
Sierra (6-6, 7-23) had two all-league performers in a tumultuous season that included early forfeitures for using an ineligible player. Junior veteran outside hitter Hannah Threet (116 kills, 15 blocks, 25 aces) was voted onto the first team, while senior defensive specialist Amari Currey (134 digs, 23 aces) is on the second team.
East Union (3-9, 8-20) has two All-VOL second-team selections in senior setter/opposite Lily Grove (65 assists, 33 kills, 20 blocks, 19 aces, 35 digs) and freshman outside hitter Macie Hall-Anderson (46 kills, 49 digs).
East Union’s Lucija Dayeh, Manteca’s Gracey Green and Sierra’s Gurjaap Kaur earned honorable mention.
