After dropping the first set to visiting Manteca 23-25, Ripon Christian rallied Wednesday night for a 25-18, 26-24, 25-15 come-from-behind non-league boys volleyball win.

“It was great for us to learn how to respond from some challenges,” Knights coach Kevin Tameling said. “I was really proud of the guys for doing that. I thought we did a great job of controlling the net, setting up the big block.

“They are a very smart team with where they put the ball, but we were able to kind of negate their firepower a little bit.”

Mason Tameling led the powerful attack for the Knights (12-2) with 17 kills, three digs and three aces.

“That’s a great Manteca team,” Mason Tameling said. “They pick up a lot of balls, and that’s a great win for us today.

“I couldn’t do it without my other guys. I can’t do it without my setter – shout out to Daniel Lambdin – my passers and we do a good job passing. There are still some things we need to work on, but that’s where we’re at right now.”

Isaiah Vander Woude (15 kills, two aces) and Ian Brown added four digs apiece.

“On the digs, I just got ready, got low and set myself up,” Vander Woude said. “And then I was able to get them up.”

Lambdin (ace) dished out 39 assists, Darren Van Groningen added seven kills, two aces and two digs with six kills for Reagan Sauer.

Jesus Gomez led the Buffaloes (8-4) with 16 kills, seven digs, two blocks and two aces followed by Robert Hevener (13 kills, five blocks, ace, dig), Logan Romriell (10 digs, four blocks), Raclif Figueroa (five digs, ace) and Mark Bondoc (24 assists, three digs, three kills).

“I just love it when we play Ripon Christian,” Manteca coach Jennifer Reis said. “Because it puts pressure on your team you can’t replicate in practice, scrimmage or anything like that.

“They are a top program all the time, so it puts pressure on you to take your game to another level, or learn if you don’t.”

The Buffaloes hosts St. Mary’s of Stockton on Friday night at 6 and Saturday morning at 8 the Knights kick off the Granite Bay Tournament against Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills.

Junior varsity

Manteca 2, Ripon Christian 0

Andrew Woodruff tallied 10 digs and two aces to lead the Buffaloes to a 25-21, 25-21 sweep.

Manteca’s Rylan Mu added six digs, Eli Navarro added seven assists, four digs and three kills with four kills apiece for Adam Cuevas (ace) and Azon D’Anna.