Ceres High’s girls volleyball team played three matches in a four-day span this past week.
“There was progress,” coach Kelly Heese said. “I call that a win.”
The Bulldogs dropped to 1-7 in the Western Athletic Conference standings after losing 3-0 (25-13, 25-8, 25-18) to the Beyer Patriots on Saturday in Modesto.
Ceres High was competitive during the final game.
“That’s some of the better ball they’ve played this season,” Heese said. “They were communicating. Their passing improved. They were executing a lot of things we’ve been working on.”
Bulldog Maryn Curry tallied 12 assists, six digs and three kills against the Patriots.
Jazmyne Arendt collected eight digs and six kills.
Abby Prado chipped in with five kills and two aces.
Ceres High lost 3-0 (25-12, 25-22, 25-12) to visiting Lathrop on Friday at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.
“You got to play each game consistently at the same level for 25 points,” Heese said. “That’s our biggest struggle.”
Jamie Olvera led the Bulldogs with 16 digs and three aces.
Arendt contributed 12 digs, five kills and one ace.
Prado finished with seven digs, five kills and one ace.
Host Johansen rallied for a 3-2 (24-26, 25-17, 21-25, 25-22, 15-8) victory over Ceres High on Wednesday in Modesto.
“When they play together, they compete really well,” Heese said.
The Bulldogs never recovered after falling behind during the fifth-and-decisive game.
“I want to see the other teams earn their points instead of us giving them to them.”Coach Kelly Heese
“When you’re down 7-0, it’s hard to come back,” Heese said. “I want to see the other teams earn their points instead of us giving them to them.”
Ceres High’s Alayna De La Torre had 10 digs and four aces versus Johansen.
Prado totaled nine digs, three kills and two aces.
Jada Harris added six blocks and four kills.
Ceres High’s matches against Lathrop and Beyer were originally scheduled to be played on Sept. 29 and Oct. 4, respectively.
The dates had to be changed due to COVID testing and contract tracing.
Grace Davis opted not to reschedule its Sept. 27 match against Ceres High. The contest was cancelled for coronavirus-safety reasons.
“We were in quarantine for 10 days,” Heese said. “No practices. No matches.”
The Bulldogs have lost seven of their first eight conference matches.
Ceres High’s lone victory came against Johansen on Sept. 13. The Bulldogs prevailed 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-18).
“We’ve had several team meetings,” Heese said. “We’ve talked about everything. There’s no reason these girls shouldn’t be contenders.”
“At this point in time, I’m hoping they find themselves on the court and their passion for the game,” she added. “They put so much pressure on themselves. If they had the confidence I had for them, they’d be a better team. We don’t practice to lose. But winning isn’t everything. If you see progress, that’s a win.”
