For nearly two weeks, the Jesse Bethel High School volleyball team, part of its squad hit by a return of COVID, did not play a match.Consider the Jaguars healed.Although Bethel was able to have enough players healthy on Monday to sweep Mt. Diablo, Bethel played with a normal roster for the first time since Aug. 29 on Wednesday night, looking just like last year’s section finalists in a 25-11, 25-9, 25-01 sweep of De Anza.“It was fun because it was our second game at home this week,” Bethel head coach Va...
For nearly two weeks, the Jesse Bethel High School volleyball team, part of its squad hit by a return of COVID, did not play a match.
Consider the Jaguars healed.
Although Bethel was able to have enough players healthy on Monday to sweep Mt. Diablo, Bethel played with a normal roster for the first time since Aug. 29 on Wednesday night, looking just like last year’s section finalists in a 25-11, 25-9, 25-01 sweep of De Anza.
“It was fun because it was our second game at home this week,” Bethel head coach Valencia Pu’u said. “But I felt the momentum was there for us tonight. We’re still short a few players but we’re working through it. It’s not all about beating teams right now. It’s about being humble.”
One player really on her game was Renee Meneses, who finished with 15 aces in the sweep. She also had five kills.
Another player returning to form was Riah Paopao, who posted 14 kills in her first game in two weeks.
Paopao was one of three players on the varsity squad and seven in the program struck with COVID last week. She finally got the OK to be out on the court early on Wednesday.
“It was great because I hadn’t touched a ball in two weeks,” Paopao said, with a laugh. “I started feeling OK last week when I didn’t have symptoms anymore, but I also felt energetic.
“At the net the passes and the set we were getting were good. Adjusting to a new setter that is a freshman was also big because we want to build that chemistry.”
Bethel and De Anza stayed close in the first set, with it all tied up a 11. However, the Jaguars went on a 14-0 run to finish the set. The run was sparked by six aces from Meneses, including three in a row to finish the set.
Meneses was not one of the sick players last week, but she definitely had the antidote for winning on Wednesday.
“I think that my team relied on energy, so I tried to keep a certain pace and then see the open spots on their side,” Meneses said. “That spot always seemed to be in the middle.
“I feel really happy to be with my team again. Our team was really hungry to get a win tonight.”
It got even better for Meneses in the second set. Already up 5-3, she served up seven aces in row. Meneses picked up one more ace in the second set and another in the third to finish with 15. Head coach Pu’u wasn’t sure where that ranked in the school’s all-time records, but she was pleased with the play of Meneses.
Bethel got off to a 5-0 start in the third set, thanks to a kill by Paopao and two aces from Chesa Villezar. Bethel built the lead to 14-5 after two more kills from Paopao and 20-8 after a kill from Yatzuri Padilla. Padilla had two consecutive aces to close the match and pick up the sweep.
Bethel plays Fairfield at home on Friday.