Eliana Urzua was a force, accounting for 35 points in Bishop Diego’s five-set non-league girls volleyball victory at Newbury Park on Tuesday. The scores were 25-18, 22-25, 26-24, 16-25, 15-10
It was a big win for the Cardinals as they defeated a team from a higher CIF division. Newbury Park is CIF-SS Division 3 team while Bishop is in Division 4.
Urzua pounded 24 kills, nine service aces and added a block to lead the attack. Wynter and Sage Thorne-Thomsen combined for seven kills and four aces and senior Avi Gordon had two kills and two blocks.
“The stats are the stats, but I was most impressed with players who came into the game and made a difference,” said Bishop coach Dillan Bennett. “When we struggle to get results out of the starting group, we bring in players who we think can change the momentum in our favor. Last night, Anna Fittipaldi and Vivi Klentner came in and served a few key serves that changed the course of the match at different points.
“We talk a lot about how everyone on the team serves a role, and last night, it was a pleasant surprise to see those two step up from the service line.”
Bennett is impressed at the high level Urzua is playing
“Eliana is playing on a level all her own. She’s bought into our serving philosophy and understands her physicality is a significant advantage for our team,” he said. “While she’s a young phenom, we will need others to step up to be competitive in league play this season. A few started to show signs of stepping up last night in a tough match. The potential is there; now it’s a matter of how long it takes to get where we want to be.”
The Cardinals improve to 4-8 overall, and host Villanova Prep on Thursday in the Brick House.