Bishop Diego girls volleyball went on the road and secured a three-set sweep of Villanova Prep on Thursday in Ojai.
The Cardinals captured a decisive win to open the night and cruised to the win from there, 25-13, 25-10, 25-18.
Karina Urzua did a little bit of everything for Bishop Diego, collecting 14 kills, 10 digs and five aces. Meanwhile, Natalie Chan contributed six kills, seven digs and two aces.
The Cardinals shined defensively and at the service line en route to the win, totaling 36 digs and 17 aces.
“Karina and Natalie had another great night, but I was impressed with a few kids continuing to get better in their new roles,” Bishop Diego head coach Dillan Bennett said. “I thought Abby Walters did a nice job giving chances to Ella Fuentes, Abbie Hubbs and Brighton Montag, who all produced points attacking the ball.
“We talked yesterday following the Laguna match about how we can be a little more diverse and get others involved to bring balance to our offense, and it started to show tonight.”
The Cardinals (4-2, 2-0 Tri-Valley League) will compete in the Del Sol Invitational this weekend.
Laguna Blanca 3, St. Bonaventure 1
The Owls earned a four-set road win over St. Bonaventure on Thursday in Ventura, 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 25-14.
“It was nice to bounce back tonight and start with lots of energy and play clean volleyball right from the jump,” Laguna Blanca head coach Tanner Stevens said. “We continue to build, and if our middles are able to get going like they did tonight, we run such a balanced offense and get everyone involved.”
Lauren Kenny, Hadleigh Bolton and Vivi Keister all recorded double-digit kills with 13, 11 and 10, respectively. Emma Bouvat-Merlin spearheaded the defensive effort with 24 digs.
The Owls (1-1) will be on the road against Villanova Prep on Tuesday.
Valencia 3, San Marcos 0
The Royals fell in straight sets to Valencia High on Thursday inside the Thunderhut, 20-25, 18-25, 18-25.
The San Marcos duo of Anja Firestone and Lola Keech turned in a strong defensive showing with 18 and 14 digs, respectively.
“I was very proud of [Firestone and Keech] taking the initiative to control our defense. Their hustle was contagious,” San Marcos head coach Erica Downing said. “We had contributions from all three of our setters, Selah Wheeler, Josslyn Hall and Simone Blanc.
“Junior Emily Smith came in the third game and had eight kills. She is not the biggest hitter, but she is one of the smartest. She is a confident player who always stays positive. We continue to get better every time we play.”
The Royals will head into the valley to take on Santa Ynez on Tuesday.
