TROWBRIDGE, CA (YSBC) – The East Nicolaus Spartans girls volleyball team conquered their fourth-consecutive sweep in Sacramento Valley League play as they beat the Colusa RedHawks in straight sets (25-18, 25-20, 27-25) on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

It was another classic match between the two rivals as long rallies and diving bodies grazed the floor on Tuesday. 

East Nicolaus controlled the first set over the younger Colusa squad, but both sides had their strong points in the opening set before the Spartans pulled away and took the opening set.

RedHawks head coach Kim Roper told Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa Sports that she is extremely proud of the way her young group competes hard on a nightly basis.

Roper said that in the opening weekend of the season, they lost their first tournament game at the Yreka tournament to West Valley in three sets and then won five straight matches to win the tournament, including topping West Valley in the final.

Colusa junior setter Cindel Oliver (6) serves a pass during the RedHawks' loss to East Nicolaus on Sept. 23. Photo by Steven Bryla

Roper added that the past couple of seasons, Colusa has gone down south to the Whittier Tournament the past couple of seasons and seeing teams they wouldn't have the opportunity to play against again is good to mix it up. 

The RedHawks went 2-4 in the tournament but competed hard and had a lot of bonding time with one another.

The next time East Nicolaus has a match, they will have the exact number of matches played at the end of the season when they were eliminated in the 2024 CIF State Volleyball playoffs. 

The Spartans have competed in three tournaments and won two overall (Chico and CIVT) and head coach, Keith Turner, expressed to YSBC that East Nicolaus is right where they want to be. 

He added that they have seen a lot of good competition and this group works really hard and has been able to be successful with the trust they have in one another.

Spartans middle hitter Lela DeCecco led the way with 11 kills and packed a punch on any ball that hovered right above the net in the victory over Colusa and had four blocks in the win. 

East Nicolaus senior setter Shelby Scoggins (5) sets a pass on Sept. 23 in the Spartans' sweep over Colusa. Photo by Steven Bryla

Junior outside hitter Kendall Kocher had 10 kills with powerful strikes that make a crashing sound when the ball hits the floor.

In the second set, senior outside hitter Makinze Massey made a home at the serving block as East Nicolaus scored the first 10 points of the set. 

The RedHawks rallied and had a strong stretch of their own with quality serving and collected a few aces to get back into the set.

The final set consisted of madness and phenomenal plays on both teams as it went back-and-forth before the Spartans rallied and tied the set at 24. 

Colusa fell to .500 in league with the loss to East Nicolaus and has the opportunity to rebound as they host Durham on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.

East Nicolaus will travel to Willows and take on the Honker on Thursday, Oct. 9 that is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

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