An injury to a top returner coupled with a challenging schedule factored into the River Islands girls volleyball team’s tough start to the season.
Senior outside hitter Ada Morales is rounding back into form from her ailing knee, and the Riptide won its third consecutive match on Thursday 25-5, 25-5, 25-6 against visiting Millennium in Central California Athletic Alliance play.
“They’re working as one body,” River Islands coach Rhiannon Genilla said. “You know, what good is a right hand if you don’t have a left foot? I think these girls area really starting to understand what it means to trust each other and to do your job and make the next girl look better.”
Sophomore transfer Leighann Ruiz led them with eight kills and five aces. Middle blocker Jaselle Cliatt and Morales added five kills apiece. Corley Simoni distributed eight assists, and Makaylah Kai Samoranos had six.
Winless Millennium (0-2, 0-11) offered little resistance, but the Riptide isn’t looking past anybody ahead of its Oct. 6 showdown with reigning league champion Holt Academy.
“Never want to underestimate an opponent, but you also don’t want to overestimate,” Genilla said. “You always plan for that next step, though, not just so the girls can rise up to the occasion, but so they can fall back on their training and their trust in each other. I feel like in the past, as a coach, I have maybe expected the girls to step up without preparing them for that moment, so that’s been my big focus — how can I get these girls ready for that situation so they can have the confidence to just do it?”
River Islands heads to Mountain House next Monday for a non-league match and faces Hughes Academy at home the following night for a CCAA contest.
Oakdale 3, East Union 1
East Union (2-5 Valley Oak League, 8-8 overall) dropped its fifth straight match on Thursday. Oakdale (5-2, 13-8) prevailed 25-15, 25-19, 21-25, 25-17 to stay two matches behind first-place Sierra.
All five losses have come on the road for the Lancers. They were led by Elle Baluyut’s eight kills, and Lulu Dayeh dished out 13 assists to go with four digs.
Macie Anderson (five digs) and Jedah Haywood each had six kills.
Manteca 3, Patterson 0
The Buffaloes (4-2 VOL, 11-4 overall) took care of business on Wednesday with the 25-13, 25-17, 25-16 home win.
Patterson (0-6, 1-12) had no answer for Taimane Tu’uga, who torched the Tigers for 20 kills. Katie Anderson contributed 20 assists and five digs. Trinity Todd added eight kills to the attack. Na’ima Calderon chipped in five kills, three digs and three aces. Maddie Nunes led the defense with seven digs.
Lathrop 3, Central Valley 0
The Spartans (6-0, 14-3 overall) picked up their 13th straight win in the Western Athletic Conference match Wednesday. The last 12 of those victories resulted in sweeps, including the 25-16, 25-14, 25-18 result at Central Valley (2-4, 5-11).
Siliana Fa’ataualofa blasted a match-high 23 kills, and Erin Chunn had 13. Breanna Wiseman added five kills and four solo blocks. Jadore Dixon finished with nine digs.
JV girls volleyball
Oakdale 2, East Union 0
The Mustangs held off East Union, 25-17, 26-24.
Janelle Lopez and Jesabel Terran tagged three kills apiece. Sophia Quezada tallied six service points and four assists.
Lathrop 2, Central Valley 0
Zakia Booker fired seven kills and two aces in the 25-19, 25-20 win for Lathrop.
Cassidy Fa’ali’i registered 12 assists and two aces. Ne’Myah Belion contrihuted six kills, two aces and two digs. Aylin Reyes chipped in two kills and two digs.
Frosh girls volleyball
East Union 2, Oakdale 0
East Union handed Oakdale its first loss with the 25-20, 25-20 sweep.
Brooklyn Findley led the attack with five assists, eight service points and three aces. Jordyn Ballou racked up four kills, seven points and two digs. Paisley Geer added three kills.
Lathrop 2, Central Valley 0
Lathrop swept 25-6, 25-13 behind a balanced attack featuring Kyla Swan (three kills, three aces), Teonna Finney (three kills, five aces) and Athena Asuncion (three kills, two blocks).
Setter Jessica Reff handed out six assists.
