Ripon’s Ashlyn Malone led a formidable front line Tuesday night on the way to a 25-20, 25-13, 25-10 sweep of host Ripon Christian in girls Trans-Valley League volleyball action.
“Ashlyn (Malone) has been working hard,” Indians coach Gregory Soliz said. “We have been trying to get her more involved.
“We have Adriana (Dorn) on the outside. Ashlyn gives us more options, and we are more solid with her, Adriana and Jorie (Eskes).”
Malone blasted 20 kills along with two aces.
“I have been putting a lot of work in both inside and outside of practice,” Malone said. “I think it all paid off tonight.”
Dorn stood out on both sides of the ball for Ripon (9-0 TVL, 22-4 overall) with 18 digs and 12 kills.
“We came into this game knowing the RC is a really good team, and they have had some good wins against Sonora,” Dorn said. “So, we just wanted to play our best.
“We had a tournament this weekend, and I think that prepared us to play our best volleyball tonight.”
With Dorn and Malone anchoring the outside, Olivia Neuman handled the middle with six blocks, five in the last set alone.
“I was really determined to end a point,” Neuman said. “And with the help of my team, I was really excited.
“I was kind of happy about the blocks.”
Eskes posted 10 kills, nine digs and two aces with Alayna Sprinkle dishing out 33 assists.
The best set for the Knights (6-3, 15-8) was the first when they led 13-8 and as late as 18-15 before Malone hammered out three consecutive kills and added two more in an 8-2 set-ending blitz.
“They are a good team,” Ripon Christian coach Kayle Kootstra said. “I think they took advantage of some of our weaknesses tonight. They run a fast offense, and that makes it harder for our blocks to get up.
“Jorie (Eskes) and Adriana (Dorn) hit well. They are hitting from both sides, and it just took us too long to adjust. Once they took control of the pace of the game, we never got back into it.”
Tatum Sonke put up 16 digs for the Knights with nine digs apiece for Alanna Blanco (19 assists, three aces), Paige Van Hofwegen (five kills) and Lauren Mouw. Haley Kootstra posted six kills.
Junior varsity
Ripon Christian 2, Ripon 0
Dani Barbour hammered out 11 kills to lead the Knights to a 25-20, 25-13 sweep.
Ripon Christian’s Brooklyn Postma dished out 14 assists and Dani Barbour posted 11 kills.
