River Islands may be the new kid on the block, but the visiting Riptide showed it was a force to be reckoned with on Monday in a 25-17, 17-25, 25-20, 25-16 loss to Lathrop in non-league boys volleyball action.

“We took control in that first set,” Spartans coach Toa Fa’ali’i said. “In the second set, you have to give it to River Islands for taking the momentum and running with it.

“I told my boys that if you want to be a good team, you have to learn how to respond – if we lose a set, make an error, respond. The big lesson tonight is don’t quit. You have to continue fighting.”

Lathrop (12-5) led from 2-1 for the rest of the first set. In the second set, it was a reversal of fortune with River Islands (7-3) leading from 2-1 for the rest of the set, winning by the same score, 25-17.

“We belong every game no matter what,” Riptide coach Nick Grabowski said. “The team we are, we still don’t have seniors, we can compete with anyone on any given night.

“We take pride a lot in blocking, especially at practice. We are a smaller team, so we have to work on blocking, and we do pretty well.”

Despite trailing 10-19 in the third set, River Islands battled back to come within 19-23, only for Gabriel Fa’ali’i to hammer two back-row kills to get the Spartans over the finish line.

“I’m just glad I was able to help out my team,” Gabriel Fa’ali’i said. “We had been kind of struggling a little bit, but I know I am always ready for the back-row attack. And for however long I have been playing, I know exactly where to go, how to swing and play it smart.”

Lathrop’s Cameron Loyola added seven kills.

“We came in here knowing this was going to be a tough game,” Loyola said. “We didn’t underestimate them. We won the first set, they came back to win the second, then we got our energy up and put them away.

“River Islands is a great team.”

A recent call-up from the Spartans junior varsity team, Mario Luna dished out 30 assists with four aces and three digs.

“I have been waiting for this moment,” Luna said. “I have been humbled a lot, because this is a different level than JV.

“I’m happy that my coach has given me the opportunity to play.”

Lathrop’s Marc Llorin and Meauta Miller added six kills apiece with three aces for Gurmukh Singh and three digs for Persius Fa’ali’i.

The Riptide’s David Chua posted nine kills with seven kills for Eric Irving, 21 assists for Urijah DeOcampo, two aces for Taray Irving and two blocks for Darius Radoc Factoran.

Both teams resume league play next with River Islands hosting Aspire Langston Hughes Academy in Central California Athletic Alliance action today at 5 p.m. and the Spartans hosting Ceres in a Western Athletic Conference tilt at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Junior varsity

Lathrop 2, River Islands 0

Bryan Gamboa led the Spartans to a 25-17, 25-4 sweep with seven kills, a block and an ace.

Jayden White (six kills, ace), Christoper Ygay (seven digs, ace) and Cayden Phaing (15 assists, ace) rounded out the Lathrop attack.