It was the same old routine for Kacy Bolding, Kaitlyn Morenzone and Payton Reis following a volleyball match at Winter Gymnasium on Tuesday.
They helped take down the net, put away equipment and met with friends and family. This one was different, however, even if it didn’t seem like it at the time.
It is possible for the three four-year varsity starters to play another match at their home gym in the near future, but some special things would have to happen. And the seventh-seeded Buffaloes were certainly special in their Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff opener against Beyer, a dangerous and battle-tested club that was overwhelmed, 25-17, 25-15, 15-14.
They’ll next take on Vanden (23-3) on the road Thursday.
“We were kind of talking about that,” Bolding said of what could be her last match at Winter Gym. “It doesn’t really feel like it. It seems like yesterday we were freshmen but it hasn’t hit me yet. We definitely played like it was our last home game.”
It was arguably the most complete effort of the season for Manteca (21-6), which pasted the reigning Western Athletic Conference champion. The Patriots (27-11) from Modesto are led by sophomore outside hitter Olivia Keller (16 kills, 11 digs) and senior setter Emma Gonzalez (25 assists), but they had to work for their points on Tuesday.
“We have to come with our ‘A’ game every night,” Beyer coach Tony Silva said. “We’re not a secret anymore. Last year we kind of burst onto the scene and Olivia came out of nowhere. Now, everybody is ready for us.
“Not to take anything away from Manteca, they’re also a veteran team and they’re scrappy. They keep balls alive and wait until you make the mistake. They’re a tough team.”
That’s not to say the Buffaloes didn’t earn what they got.
They dominated every facet, from back row to front after stumbling at the start. Kaylee MacDannald crushed the first of her eight kills for the opening point, but Beyer countered with the next four.
The rest of the match belonged to Manteca.
“We just clicked tonight,” Manteca coach Kevin Bolding said.
Julia Moreno and Reis (two blocks) joined MacDannald with eight kills for team-high honors. Manteca’s setters, Kacy Bolding (14 digs, five kills, 15 assists) and Morenzone (seven digs, six kills, 20 assists, 13 service points), keyed the unpredictable attack, but the defense provided much of the highlights.
Many of best rallies were won by the Buffaloes.
“They pounded it a lot at us, we just played really good defense tonight,” coach Bolding said. “Even our transitions were good.”
Freshman Karlie Spohn scored in transition on her own at one point in the second set, blocking a back-row spike from Keller before jumping back up to swat down the kill. She also stuffed Taylor Basye on the previous point.
Later, Kacy Bolding had two digs — including a pancake — on kill attempts from Basye in a rally that was punctuated by a Moreno spike for a 13-6 Buffaloes lead.
Reis continued the onslaught, accounting for four straight Manteca points — three kills and a block — to make it 19-11. The game fittingly ended with Morenzone and Spohn (three kills, three blocks) combining for a block on Basye.
The third set was back-and-forth from the outset before Manteca broke away from an 8-8 tie with 13-5 run. Abbey Kadillak served an ace, and Moreno put away a kill for the final two points of the match.
Kadillak (25 digs), a freshman libero, and sophomore defensive specialist Kyaira Jacobs (13 digs, nine points, two aces) were also instrumental in the win. Manteca’s three underclassmen shined in their first postseason debut.
“They didn’t get rattled by anything,” Kevin Bolding said. “We tried to play good teams in the preseason and in tournaments to hopefully help us for these moments. I would like to think that it helped.
“Tonight, they didn’t look like freshmen and sophomores. They were solid.”
The Buffaloes are definitely on the road for the remainder of the SJS playoffs. No. 2 Vanden awaits in Fairfield, and if Manteca wins its potential opponents — No. 3 Christian Brothers and No. 6 El Capitan are higher seeds.
The SJS Division III playoffs final takes place at a neutral site on Nov. 3. Manteca essentially needs to win the section championship to earn consideration for a home match in the CIF Northern California Regionals.
“If that’s our last one here that was the best way to go out,” Kacy Bolding said. “I don’t even know where we’re going next, but we’re used it. Last year we had two playoff games that were far away. As soon as we off the vans we have to make sure we’re ready to go.”