We Speak Volleyball

St. Mary’s Sweeps Downey 3-0 to Reach the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Semifinals

Published

47 minutes ago

November 2, 2026

The St. Mary's volleyball team poses with its student section after the win over Downey.

Photo courtesy of St. Mary's Volleyball.

St. Mary’s played like a program that has done this many times before, sweeping Downey 25-20, 25-19 and 25-21 on Thursday night in Stockton to reach the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinals.

The third seeded Rams, owners of 14 section titles, five NorCal championships and 32 league crowns, took control early and never let the CCAL champions build any momentum. Downey arrived at 29-14 as the No. 6 seed, but St. Mary’s closed every set with the steadier play.

Senior outside hitter Shea Hardcastle delivered 18 kills to lead the Rams. The Westmont College commit set the tone at the net, and Athena Flynn added 12 kills as St. Mary’s spread the ball around. Setters Victoria Keller and Pelenani Danielson kept the offense moving with 18 assists apiece. Downey had reached the quarterfinal by sweeping league champion Tokay in the first round, but the Vikings could not carry that form into Stockton.

The quarterfinal followed a businesslike first round for the Rams, who swept Inderkum 25-16, 25-17 and 25-11 on Tuesday. St. Mary’s also carried a perfect league season into the playoffs, another Tri-City Athletic League title in a run of dominance that has stretched across 79 straight league wins, according to The Record.

Downey’s season ended in the quarterfinal after the Vikings swept Tokay in the first round. For St. Mary’s, the road gets steeper from here. The Rams travel to face Rocklin in the section semifinals on Tuesday, November 3, with a place in the November 7 championship match at Cosumnes River College on the line. If Thursday was any indication, the Rams’ championship pedigree is very much alive.

We Speak Volleyball

Amador Goes on the Road and Knocks Off Mariposa County 3-1 in the Playoff Opener

Published

38 minutes ago

November 2, 2026

We Speak Media

The Amador volleyball players pose on the team bus during the trip to Mariposa.

Photo courtesy of Amador Volleyball.

Amador made the long trip to Mariposa County on Tuesday night and came home with a playoff win, beating the Grizzlies 3-1 in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs.

The Buffaloes took the opening set 25-22, dropped a tight second set 26-24, and then took over the match. Amador won the third set 25-19 and closed out the fourth 25-15 to finish off one of the bigger road wins of the opening round anywhere in the section.

The result was no small feat. Mariposa County entered the playoffs as the undefeated Southern League champion, 14-0 in league play, and the Grizzlies had not lost a league match in 42 straight outings dating back through their run of dominance, according to The Mariposan. Their only losses all season had come against larger schools, and they were playing at home in front of their own crowd.

None of that slowed the Buffaloes, who turned the night into a team celebration. The program’s own social post from the trip called it a fierce fight for the win after the long ride south, a bus trip, and a stop on the way. After dropping the second set, Amador answered with its two most comfortable sets of the night to seal the upset.

The win advanced Amador to the Division V quarterfinals, where the Buffaloes’ run ended Thursday with a 3-1 loss at Bret Harte. Mariposa County closed a standout season at 27-11, its league championship streak stopped one match into the postseason by a Sutter Creek team that refused to be intimidated.