Napa Valley College volleyball opens its home season
Photos: The Napa Valley College volleyball team played at home for the first time this season, facing College of Marin-Kentfield, in a Bay Valley Conference match on Friday, Oct. 3.
Photos by Marty James
By MARTY JAMES
martyjames.sports@gmail.com
There was a lot of excitement surrounding the Napa Valley College volleyball team's Bay Valley Conference match on Friday, Oct. 3.
It was the Storm's first home match of the season.
It was the first time for many of the fans who were on hand to see the Storm play this season.
All in all, one of the biggest days of the season for head coach Scott Bishop and his team.
"It was nice having a lot of people out," said Bishop. "It was our first home match of the season. Everyone is definitely enjoying that moment. Trying to use that energy to just have that home-court kind of feeling, and to get them excited.
"I think that they're very comfortable and excited to show their fans what they're capable of. So, we'll definitely be looking forward to more home (matches)."
Napa Valley lost in four sets, falling to College of Marin-Kentfield, 3-1. But there was certainly a lot that Bishop saw from his team that he liked.
"First home match. I was hoping we would be able to settle in at the beginning of the match," said Bishop. "It took us a little longer to kind of turn that corner, but we had some good competitive spirit when we did that."
Napa Valley lost 25-17, 25-17, 22-25, 25-15.
The Storm took charge in the third set, coming back from 11-7 and 17-13 deficits, with very good team play in all areas of the game. The Storm tied it, 17-all on a service ace from Aly Watty, and pulled ahead 19-17, highlighting a 7-0 run that included two kills by Keana Resultay.
Ava Pendelton had three kills later in the set, as Napa Valley found its rhythm and tempo. A kill by Pendelton was the final point of the set.
Napa Valley also had a 5-0 run during the set.
"I think during that (third) set, we were able to do a lot of the things we weren't able to do kind of leading up to that," said Bishop. "We served in with a much tougher consistency. I think our ball control got back to where it needed to be, so that our offense had a little bit easier time getting some kills, and then they kind of rode that confidence. We were able to put a lot of pressure on the other team. So, I like that as well."
Napa Valley (0-10 overall, 0-2 Bay Valley Conference) is still looking for its first win of the season.
The Storm opened the BVC season on Wednesday, Oct. 1, losing to host Contra Costa College-San Pablo, 3-2. The scores were 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-25, 15-5.
"We're getting used to having two different setters and finding everyone's kind of flow. I've been really pleased with how that's been progressing over the course of the season," said Bishop.
There are nine players on the NVC team. The Storm opened the season with nine straight matches on the road.
"You've got to really depend on each other and have a lot of trust and be able to just kind of find that grit to side-out, because you don't have a lot of players that you can sub-in to kind of break things up," said Bishop.
"I would say, just on the season to date, serving and ball-control have been what we've been strongest at."
The Storm's captains, Caitlin Kenney at middle blocker/right-side hitter and Adelina Avila-Navarro at libero/defensive specialist, are doing a really good job in leadership positions, as well as contributing at their respective positions, said Bishop.
Napa Valley was behind 6-5 and 11-8 in the first set.
Napa Valley trailed 6-5, 20-16 and 21-17 in the second set.
"Caitlin had great blocks during the course of that match. Ava (Pendelton) took some really nice swings on the outside. Our ball control players, (Adelina) and Keana, were digging up a ton of balls. So, I think all those were very impactful," said Bishop.
Also, on the NVC team is Rylee Santos, Willow Diamond, America Hernandez and Sydnee Coulthrust.
College of Marin (8-9 overall, 1-1 Bay Valley) was led by Meagan Lee (11 set assists, two digs), Ryli Bowen (16 set assists, two service aces, 15 digs, two points), Maia Cruz (five digs), Anissa Inthavong (three kills, 4.5 points), Zillah Landrum (nine kills, nine points), Richel Gumpal (10 kills, two digs, 12 points), Madeleine Butler (eight kills, nine points), Elle Dickson (eight kills, 9.5 points), and Allie Bertolina (12 digs).
Bear Grassl, College of Marin's head coach, is a former Sonoma State coach and led the Seawolves' program for 24 years. Grassl is a four-time California Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year and guided Sonoma State to 10 appearances in the NCAA-Division II Championships.
"Bear and I go back a long ways. He is a legend in the coaching community. He's doing a wonderful job at College of Marin. We've crossed paths a number of times over the years, and just always a pleasure to kind of match your teams against someone who's been around and just a great coach in his own right," said Bishop.
NVC continues its season with two Bay Valley Conference matches this week.
The Storm plays at Los Medanos College-Pittsburg on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m.
The Storm is at home on Friday, Oct. 10 for a match against Mendocino College-Ukiah at 6 p.m.
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.