Ripon’s Adriana Dorn was on a mission Thursday night.
Following last year’s loss to Ripon Christian via sweep in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV volleyball playoffs, Dorn worked hard to atone for that loss. Trailing 3-4 in the second set, Dorn went on a 6-0 service run behind three aces on the way to the Indians closing out that set on a 23-9 run, as part of a 25-18, 25-13, 25-16 sweep of the host Knights in Trans-Valley League action.
Dorn finished with 17 kills, four aces, four digs and a block.
“This feels amazing,” Dorn said. “Last year after sections it was devastating, but we wanted to come back and work even harder.
“It paid off, and it feels amazing. Everyone is so excited.”
Ripon’s Jorie Eskes added 13 kills.
“I have really been working on connecting with Kate (Bogetti), my setter,” Eskes said. “My coach Greg (Soliz) has been working on getting my feet where they need to be.
“I am just having fun and believing in myself.”
Amelia Lara hustled for five digs and added two aces for the Indians (3-0 TVL, 14-1 overall).
“The game is very mental and I think our team was just in the right head space,” Lara said. “We took it.”
The rivalry between these two teams is a long one, but realignment landed Ripon Christian (1-2, 7-11) in the TVL this season.
“This has got to feel good for the girls,” Soliz said. “This was the first time against RC in league, and I am happy for the girls.
“They have the bragging rights for the weekend and they can enjoy it, but there is a bigger picture down the road, and that’s what we are aiming for.”
Shayla McKeon added eight kills for the Indians and Bogetti tallied 37 assists.
The Knights are coming off back-to-back state championships but graduated 14 players in the last two years and find themselves needing to rebuild.
“They’re a very good team,” Ripon Christian coach Kayla Kootstra said. “We knew that coming in. I think there were moments that we showed what we were capable of in the first half of the first and third sets when we did some good things. We were getting kills, we got some blocks, we were digging and forcing them out of system a little bit.
“Unfortunately, I think our inexperience continues to show. I have mostly juniors and seniors on our team, so in terms of age we are not young, but I don’t have a lot of varsity playing experience, and I think that the inconsistency we sometimes show is part of the learning experience and growth process of what this season is looking like for us.”
Paige Van Hofwegen led the Knights attack with 10 kills, two aces and two blocks. Tatum Sonke added 10 digs, Alanna Blanco distributed 21 assists while Brynn Bohn (two aces) and Haley Kootstra posted two blocks apiece.
On Tuesday, Ripon Christian travels to Escalon at 6 p.m. and Ripon hosts Sonora at 7 p.m.
Junior varsity
Ripon Christian 2, Ripon 0
Annika Jung and Maddie Sabala posted five kills apiece for the Knights in a 25-12, 25-15 sweep.
Bella Blanco added nine digs and Rhian Heuval dished out 13 assists.
Payton Abbott and Brooklyn Brown tallied three kills each for the Indians while Alyssa Lan and Savannah Parsons had three digs each.
