Ripon ended a three-match skid in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV boys volleyball playoffs on Wednesday, downing ninth-seeded Lincoln, 25-20, 25-18, 25-17.
Serving errors helped keep the visiting Fighting Zebras (13-9) from Placer County in the match early on. The Indians (24-9) finished with 14 missed serves.
Drake Krippene paced Ripon with 20 kills, and Trent Olmo doled out seven kills to go with three blocks. Cade Fullmer registered 31 assists, 15 service points and two aces.
Ripon heads to No. 1 seed Holt Academy (35-1) for the quarterfinals Friday.
Division III
Ripon Christian 3, Burbank 0
The third-seeded Knights (24-9) overcame a slow start and ultimately overpowered No. 14 Burbank (10-7), 25-17, 25-11, 25-12. They host No. 6 Beyer (21-7) on Friday.
Isaiah Vander Woude led the Ripon Christian attack with 14 kills, while Mason Tameling had 11 kills, three aces and three assists. Reagan Sauer contributed six kills. Darren Van Groningen had four kills and four assists. Danny Lambdin distributed 31 assists. Armando Ayon contributed seven kills and 11 digs.
Vista del Lago 3, East Union 0
One night after winning a five-set play-in match, the 16th-seeded Lancers (11-12) were tasked with going up against No. 1 Vista del Lago (25-6) in Folsom.
They started out strong but were ultimately done in by four missed serves and four unforced errors in a well-contested opening set. East Union’s season ended with the 21-25, 13-25, 16-25 sweep.
The Lancers were led by seniors Xavier Gaspar (six kills, three digs, two blocks), Guadalupe Reyes (four kills, four assists, two blocks) and Keenan Yang (12 digs). Sophomore Jacob Padilla chipped in three kills and four blocks.
SOFTBALL
Mountain House 7, Manteca 1
Mountain House pitcher Luna Lopez stifled the Manteca attack, giving up just five hits and no walks in the Valley Oak League finale. She also struck out four in the complete game.
The visiting Buffaloes (7-5 VOL, 19-8 overall) plated their lone run in the top of the seventh inning, as Ayva Wilkins knocked in Na’ima Calderon (doubled).
Beyer 12, Lathrop 1 (5)
Ja’Leiyah Ray (2-for-2) hit a triple and scored in the top of the first inning, but that was all offense Lathrop (7-7, 10-12) could muster against ace pitcher Jordyn Lish (eight strikeouts) and the Western Athletic Conference co-champion Patriots (12-2, 20-7 overall).
