BAKERSFIELD, CA – A controversial call for points at the end of the first set from the Ventura Pirates (4-5) would put tension on their team but gave the Bakersfield College volleyball team just the pressure they needed to add another win to the column. The Renegades, now 8-1, defeated the Pirates, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-11).
The 'Gades returned back home to Gil Bishop Gym after taking their first loss of the season last Saturday against Mira Costa. "We don't know if we are going to win or lose when we play but the thing we do is we try to play the same no matter what. We didn't look at this coming off a loss, we saw this as always, what can we do to be 1% better than the last time we played…it gives us a chance to stay consistence in the season," said Head Volleyball Coach Carl Ferreira.
Coming out the gates, the Renegades struggled to get the ball rolling until they went on an 8-5 run to take the lead by a point. That lead would only last so long as the Pirates took their lead back by a couple of errors from the home side before the first timeout. A quick chat with the coach would be just what BC needed to quickly get their fire back and hold on to take the first set.
Libero Jessica Merante would start the `Gades off hot and ready going on a 6-1 run before forcing Ventura College to take a timeout to regroup. A glitch in the scoreboard would give Ventura another much-needed break to bounce back and spike one right at Merante. BC used the momentum to come back at the Pirates and sail off with the second set, 25-12.
The third set started off as a back and forth battle taking turns with the lead until BC crept away 4-point lead. Bakersfield then went on their largest run (12-4) of the night with the help of Sophomore Lanie Camarillo serving up 10 beauties to seal the deal and give the Renegades another win.
Leading the Red and White was outside hitter Penelope Zepeda with 11 kills followed by freshman Alyson Dees with 8 kills. Camarillo had a dominate night playing in the back row for the first time in the season ending the night with 22 attempts and giving her team a third set victory. Keeping focus and being in the moment is what was going on through the outside hitters mind, "We always talk about being in the moment and focusing on this play and that's all that matters. I try not to focus on the scoreboard and stay in the moment to put the ball over," said Camarillo.
The Renegades head out for the road to take on the Moorpark Raiders, who are currently 4-5 on the season on Friday, September 20th at 6pm. BC will return home next Wednesday.
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