n opportunity to move up the Tri-Valley League standings slipped away from the Bishop Diego girls’ volleyball team as visiting St. Bonaventure notched a 25-21, 25-22, 25-19 sweep on Tuesday night at the Brickhouse.
Karina Urzua was a bright spot for the Cardinals, continuing an incredible stretch of all-around performances with 22 kills and 18 digs while adding two blocks and a service ace.
“That’s what happens when you are a great athlete — you can be multifaceted and you can do a lot of different things,” said Bishop Diego coach Dillan Bennett. “She has grown up playing the entire game, and while she is a setter by trade, she has a great arm swing.”
In her first two seasons at Bishop Diego and in club volleyball, Urzua was an elite setter, but she has thrived on the outside for the Cardinals as a junior and helped the program secure its 10th consecutive playoff appearance in the process.
St. Bonaventure’s size at the net proved difficult for Bishop Diego to overcome. Left-side hitter Zoe Benton led the Seraphs with 15 kills, while opposite Ann Gutierrez and middle Anna O’Neil each contributed seven.
Bishop Diego had taken a set from St. Bonaventure in the teams’ first meeting in Ventura, but the Seraphs controlled Tuesday’s rematch and completed the sweep. With the win, St. Bonaventure secured second place in the Tri-Valley League with a 9-3 record. Bishop Diego is in third place with a 7-4 Tri-Valley League record.
“This year we have seven great kids on the team, and we’re going to fall into a playoff division, and people are probably going to have to come here and play us hard at home,” Bennett said. “I have no doubt that this group has all the potential to make a playoff run.”
The Cardinals, 14-7 overall, will close the regular season on Thursday at Cate.
