Ripon has been guarding against apathy in the first week of the season.
So far, the Indians are winning that battle.
The reigning Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV champion swept a second Valley Oak League opponent in as many nights Wednesday, this time dispatching Manteca on the road, 25-15, 25-8, 25-26.
“Our biggest thing is trying not to take any teams and games lightly, and they’re doing a good job with that,” Ripon coach Gregory Soliz said. “I want them to go and work hard. Even if we have big leads, I don’t want them to stop. We work hard every day in practice to stay focused and locked in.
“We’re not the same team we were last year. We’re different. We have a couple pieces back, but at the end of the day, it’s a different team.”
Some of the returning core players from a season ago looked to be in mid-season form Wednesday. Trans Valley League MVP Adriana Dorn collected 14 kills, five aces, three digs and two blocks. Opposite hitter Jorie Eskes added seven kills, and Olivia Neuman registered three kills, three blocks and three aces.
Setter Alayna Sprinkle distributed 29 assists to go with three kills, two blocks and four digs.
Sophomore Ashlyn Malone, one of the key newcomers, contributed five kills and six digs. Freshman middle Elysa Meineke also had her moments, chipping in two kills and two blocks.
Manteca (3-2) showed it could compete with the Indians (2-0), but in short spurts. The Buffaloes started the match on a four-point run and scored the first three points of the third set. They could not sustain that level of play when Ripon pushed back.
The Indians closed game 1 with six unanswered points, ended game 2 on a 10-2 flurry and gained separation in the middle of the third set with an 11-2 barrage.
“I think right now we’re kind of trying to find our team’s mojo and identity,” Manteca assistant coach J.R. Kanemura said. He’s filling in for head coach Robin Chandler. “Once we figure that out and get some of the girls to buy into what we’re trying to do here, I think we will be a really great team. There’s a lot of talent and experience that these girls can build from, they just have to trust in each other and themselves a little more.”
Taimane Tu’uga paced Manteca with six kills, six digs and two blocks. Riley Ward finished with nine assists, four digs and two aces. Peyton McDonald and Ariceli McBroom led the defense with 11 and 10 digs, respectively.
Manteca will look to bounce back at home against Franklin next, while Ripon heads to Reno on Friday for the competitive High Sierra Invitational.
“I’m looking forward to that, but for me, it’s about getting some girls playing time,” Soliz said. “I’m not too concerned about the wins and losses. In the preseason, it’s about getting better for league, but the biggest thing is to stay healthy. So, we’re going to give other people playing time, that way if I ever need them, they’re going to be ready.”
