By GERARDO RECINOS
Martinez Tribune
Tuesday night’s romp of Mt. Diablo-Concord was probably one of the more lopsided victories you’ll see this year. Even with the division of the league.
The Bulldog girls’ volleyball team ran away with the match without much of a doubt and continued to breeze through their conference in the Diablo Athletic League. The 3-0 win extended their winning streak to four games.
Alhambra ran away with the first set with the eye-popping 25-3 win, leading you to believe early on there was no way they were going to lose this thing.
After the game coach Willie Marchesano said that the strength, or lack there of, the league presents is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, he knows his girls can challenge for a league title, an unheard of goal in the past. But he knows that the level of volleyball won’t do much to prepare them for the playoffs.
That was clear when junior Erin Silva six aces in one set without conceding a side out. The Bulldogs reeled off a 17-2 run which was lead by Silva’s serving, but propped up with a couple of timely kills by Makenzie Salva, Audrey Pardini and Gabby Chase. Silva added a late kill of hew own to contribute from other spots on the court.
The second set’s 25-8 win was also a bit shocking to see. Up to that point Alhambra has yet to drop a set in league play, but that consecutive set run was their largest win margin of the season.
Obviously given the play of the opening two sets, the Bulldogs run wasn’t going to be stopped on Tuesday night. But Marchesano took the opportunity to give extended minutes on the court to nearly every player suited up in blue and gold (or white in the case of the libero).
Players like recent call up Jordan Suisala made an impact off the bench. The freshman got a block in early on in the third set, and was able to pick a spot for a kill later on in the match.
Rachel Thompson switched in at setter and also contributed in the sparkling Alhambra service game. She had consecutive aces in the match and set up a pair of kills leading up to match point for the team’s usual setter, 5-foot-5 senior Maddie Gray. Credit to Gray also, because she took her chances and got the deciding kills to give Alhambra their 10th win of the season.
With a whole month of volleyball left the Bulldogs have six (after Tribune deadline) league matches left to play, with only their home and away contests against Clayton Valley Charter-Concord figuring to challenge Alhambra, and possibly stand in their way of the elusive league title.
