Eliminated from playoff consideration following a 3-2 loss at Beyer, Ceres High’s girls volleyball team took out its frustration on crosstown-rival Central Valley last week.

The host Bulldogs swept the Hawks 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-4) on Senior Night at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium on Oct. 22.

“It was nice to finish the season off on a positive note,” said Ceres High head coach/former Central Valley leader Kelly Heese. 

The Bulldogs posted a 9-9 overall record and finished fourth in the Western Athletic Conference with an 8-6 mark.

The seventh-place Hawks went 4-19 and 2-12.

Beyer (11-10, 9-5) claimed the WAC’s third-and-final playoff spot.

The Bulldogs won one of two matches versus the Patriots this year.

Ceres High finished 8-11 and in fifth place (6-8) in the 2024 WAC standings.

“The whole team improved,” Heese said. “I don’t have any complaints.”

Isabella Bravo, Kamea Brown, Priya Martinez and Genesis Sio helped lead Ceres High past Central Valley last week.

The Hawks had trouble returning Martinez’s serve in the final set.

Central Valley had a host of contributors in defeat, including Sofia Garibay, Gabriela Delatorre, MariaJose Castenada, Emily Sandoval, Kassandra Torres, Payton McConnell, Casandra Carrillo, Reylena Herrera, Arely Padilla and Khaleah Phounsavath.

Garibay had 11 digs, one kill and one assist.

Delatorre had eight assists, five digs, two kills and one ace.

Castenada had six digs and two kills.

Sandoval had six digs and one assist.

Torres had five digs, four kills and one ace.

McConnell had three kills, three digs and two aces.

Carrillo had three digs and one ace.

Herrera had two kills and one dig.

Padilla had two digs and one assist.

Phounsavath had one dig.

“It was our last match,” McConnell said. “We played our hearts out.”

Bravo, Sio, Janelli Araiza and Giada Stabille, Ceres High’s four senior players, were recognized before their final home match. 

They were accompanied by their family members.

Bravo competed at the varsity level for three seasons.

Sio and Araiza were two-year contributors.

Stabille, a foreign-exchange student, was a newcomer.

“I was fortunate to have those girls on the team,” Heese said. “They all worked hard. They were good players. They were strong athletes. They’ll be missed.”

The Hawks will lose seven players to graduation, including Carrillo, Castenada, Delatorre, McConnell, Padilla, Phounsavath and Sandoval.

“We wanted to win because it’s Ceres,” McConnell said. “It meant a lot more. Knowing it was my last year and game against them that’s why I’m emotional.”

Ceres High dashed Central Valley’s comeback hopes in the third set.

The Bulldogs outscored the Hawks, 25-4.

“Volleyball is a huge mental game,” Heese said. “My girls got on a roll. They were able to find holes on the court. Their serving was very consistent.”

Heese had a feeling her team would close the match out in straight sets.

“I could see the way my girls were playing,” she said. “Passing, coverage and communication was great. It didn’t matter what we did. We couldn’t do anything wrong.”

Heese downplayed collecting another win against crosstown-rival Central Valley.

The Bulldogs have won seven of the last eight meetings dating back to the 2019 season.

Heese served as head coach of Central Valley’s girls volleyball program for four years (2012-16).

The Hawks reached unprecedented heights under Heese’s guidance.

Central Valley had a combined record of 30-23 in WAC action and qualified for the playoffs three times.

“We train the same for every team,” said Heese, Ceres High’s head coach for the past seven seasons.