The second round of the state volleyball playoffs on Nov. 24 had Mt. San Antonio College coming into Bakersfield to face the Renegades. After a relatively easy first game, in which BC won 25-11, Mt. SAC tightened everything up, but the Renegades still prevailed in the final two games, winning them 25-22 and 25-22 to defeat the Mounties in three straight and advance to the quarterfinal round.
BC played against Golden West to advance to the State Final Four on Nov. 27, but the newspaper was sent to the press before that game was played.
Caitlin Bernardin led the BC attack and finished with 23 kills, two aces, and also led the team with 21 digs. She had plenty of help, as Alyssa Mathews chipped in with 12 kills and 16 digs, Samantha Whittington had 41 assists to go with 17 digs.
Bernardin, who has had an exceptional season, talked about the match.
“I really think it was a test for us, both mentally and physically,” she said. “But we knew what we were capable of doing, so we just focused on our team and we stuck together and pulled it out. I really think it was just a team effort, and we’ve been training and preparing so hard, and I think everyone just did their job and did it really well. I really felt that as a team we just hung in there and got the job done.”
Another player who got the job done was setter Whittington, and she had this to add.
“We scouted them and we knew what we were going up against, but I think it was more of what we were focusing on doing, and what their tendencies are, and just keeping them on their heels.”
Against Fullerton College in the first round on Nov. 20, the Renegades prevailed in straight games, 25-21, 25-11, and 25-17 at BC. Outside hitter Editza Urias led the BC charge with 15 kills and a .636 attack percentage. Mathews anchored the defense with 16 digs and also struck for 11 kills, Whittington had 36 assists. Whittington talked about the match, saying, “I think when we came into this game, we started off a little bit shaky but once we got into a rhythm and we started playing our game, we just took off.
“I think we’re in an amazing rhythm right now, we don’t care who we play, we’re just going to go out and play our game.” Urias commented on the close first set. “After we took that time-out, we re-grouped and we started communicating more and we just clicked as a team and that’s how we got the win.”
Urias also talked about the serving. “I feel like our serving got us in a run and that’s how we really started, our service was really good. Our setter, Samantha, she got us into a roll, got a lead and it really got us going.”
Defensively, Urias also felt that the team played well.
“We really worked on our blocks, and we were getting together and closing so our defense didn’t have to work as hard. So with our blocks being there, our defense was allowed to be more effective and set up how we’re supposed to so we can get the digs that we did.”
In their last regular season match against Santa Monica on Nov. 14, the Renegades won 25-19, 25-11, and 25-22 at BC. Bernardin was impressive with 17 kills, four service aces, and 18 digs. Whittington ended the match with 38 assists, four aces, and 10 digs and Urias had 10 kills.