While Lauren Underwood led Bishop Diego with 10 kills, co-captains Diana Sleep and Nicole Tetherow had excellent performances to lead their team to a home victory over cross-town rival Carpinteria in straight sets.
Bishop Diego won 25-16, 25-15, 25-17.
The game took an unfortunate turn for Carpinteria early in the first set when the team’s best outside hitter, Erin Callaway, injured her hand and was unable to return to the match.
“It changed the dynamic of the game a little bit,” Carpinteria head coach Katie Dolge said.
Amy Davis led the Warriors with six kills, while Luna Pate recorded nine digs.
After Callaway’s exit, Bishop Diego gained the upper hand and never looked back.
“We served and passed at a really high level,” head coach Jason Donnelly said. “It allowed us to do what we wanted offensively.”
With Tetherow running the offense, Sleep doing a little of everything, and McKenna Hogue adding six more kills, the Cardinals earned the convincing victory.
While both coaches stressed to their teams that this game was not different from others, the intensity of the rivalry was apparent.
“Even on game point we weren’t giving up,” Dolge said about her team.
“I think the girls were excited but we’re trying to teach them that every match is important and every point is important,” Donnelly said of his squad. “But there’s always in the back of the mind that you want to beat Carp.”
The two teams will face off again at the Carpinteria Tournament on Sept. 24.
