Thursday’s Central California Conference Championship game is set between both crosstown teams in Turlock and Pitman High varsity volleyball after Tuesday’s results.
Pitman swept El Capitan, 3-0, while the Bulldogs got vengeance on the only team that beat them in league this year thus far, Buhach Colony.
Since falling to BC back on Sept. 29, Turlock was able to think about what needed to be done differently the second time around and they managed to think it through and perform up to their standards after sweeping the Thunder in straight sets, 3-0.
“We were hungry to get redemption,” said Turlock senior Brett Hanson. “Because we knew they were a beatable team, especially the way it all lined up and we were hungry during practice; we worked much harder on the 50-50 balls where they were scrappier.”
Scrappy is an understatement, but the fact is that Turlock and Pitman have dominated the CCC over the last two seasons.
This year was no different, with one game remaining for both the Bulldogs and Pride have a 10-1 league record each. BC and El Capitan had just seven wins and follow in third and fourth place.
“We had a specific game plan coming into this game and the girls executed it perfectly,” said Turlock head coach Amber Lugo.
The Bulldogs looked like their regular selves, performing at a high level, and forcing a few long rallies that eventually ended in their favor.
Turlock won the first set by 10 points after taking a 25-15 victory followed by a 25-16 win in the second.
The third set was much of the same story as the Bulldogs were able to go on cruise control and pace their way into another win at 25-16 to end the match in three sets.
“I feel like we really played like ourselves, we didn’t play under or over, we played how we know how to play as a team,” said Turlock senior Sophie Bigler. “First time we played them, we weren’t communicating as much and we went in thinking it would be an easy game and didn’t expect it.”
Bigler added six kills while Hanson finished with eight digs. Audrey Dykzeul added four aces and three kills.
Jadyn Tubbs finished with a team-high 11 kills and added seven digs. Julia Handy finished with four kills, five digs and 26 assists. Bella Bush finished with three blocks and a pair of kills. Jazmyn Tubbs tallied seven digs.
“We were able to serve aggressively and take care of the 50-50 balls, attack certain zones at certain times, and block as well,” said Lugo. “Now the girls are ready and looking forward to the final match with Pitman.”
Turlock committed just two errors all game.
Turlock will next take on Pitman at the Pride’s gym, for the CCC title at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
“Personally I don’t feel any pressure,” Bigler added. “There shouldn’t be any pressure because we beat them twice in a row already and we can do it a third time for sure.”
“I know that speaking for my team we are excited and ready to win the CCC full on. Last year we got co-champs, but this year we don’t want that,” Hanson added.
