Senior-less Sierra bounced back from a one-sided second-set loss to win the third before Manteca led wire to wire in the fourth set for a 25-21, 25-12, 17-25, 25-16 Valley Oak League win for the visiting Buffaloes.
That third-set win for the Timberwolves (0-1 VOL, 2-3 overall) was only the second set Manteca (1-0, 9-0) has dropped all season.
“Sierra is a good team,” Buffaloes coach Robin Chandler said. “They have done a really good job and improved so much over the years.
“I liked the way we bounced back after that third set. They had the momentum and we stepped up and finished hard. We have to get battle tested now to be able to go further later on.”
Manteca had some problems at the service line with 17 service errors.
“I think when we are going for harder serves, that’s going to happen,” Chandler said. “That happened way too many times tonight. Our experienced girls need to handle the pressure.”
Karlie Spohn led the Buffaloes with 12 kills and three blocks.
“My mindset when I am at the net is to get kills,” Spohn said. “So I get up there, jump as high as I can and try to get it done.”
Manteca’s Abbey Kadillak patrolled the back row with a vengeance, pounding out 18 digs.
“Overall, it was not our best match,” Kadillak said, “And it definitely wasn’t mine, but I am really excited for the season.
“We played well, but in some components we could have done better.”
Adrianna Powell added 10 kills, eight digs and two aces for the Buffaloes with Camrenne Genilla getting nine kills, six digs and three aces, Arielle Chandler 29 assists, three kills and three aces and Isabella Pires nine digs and two aces.
Sierra coach Kim Brooks would have liked to see her team apply the pressure a little sooner.
“Manteca has a really strong hitting team,” Brooks said. “It took us the first game to catch on to their hitters, in the second game we started waking up and the third game we came out strong. Unfortunately, we woke up a little too late.”
The Timberwolves had their problems at the service line as well, committing 16 service errors.
“We normally spot serve,” Brooks said. “And in the third game I let them do their thing and the started fixing the serving issues.
Sierra’s Zoe Kossart tallied 13 kills and three digs. Rebecca Thomson dished out 19 assists along with five digs and three aces and Abigail Chapman had four aces, two blocks and a kill.
Junior varsity
Manteca 2, Sierra 1
After splitting the first two sets 25-19, 23-25, the Buffaloes pulled away in the third 15-8.
Emily Inderbitzin made eight digs and Ava Negranza added eight assists for Mantece. Jennifer Mailango chipped in four kills and Carsyn Van Zant four blocks.
Freshman
Manteca 2, Sierra 0
Ariel De La O’s hitting helped lead the Buffaloes to the 25-12, 25-16 win.
Bella Mendez and Jayanna Diaz did well setting and serving for Manteca with libero Nicole Anaya playing good defense and Amil Gaskins getting some powerful blocks.
Cheyanne Watson tallied three kills for the Timberwolves. Sophia Gomez had a kill, Aliana Cordova notched an ace with Hailey Danel and Taylor Zalunardo playing well.
