GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The work that Gridley High School’s varsity volleyball team has been putting in daily since summer has more than paid off as they continue their undefeated season into league play.

The Bulldogs currently boast a record of 17-0, coming out of their first league game against the Oroville Tigers on Sept. 26 with a 3-0 win, powering on to crush the Orland Trojans with a 3-1 victory, at Orland on Oct. 1.

Head coach Liz Ayon says that her team is really excited to demonstrate their skill set and show what they are made of as they enter league play, with a just a few weeks and less than ten games remaining before heading into the playoffs.

“A big area of focus for us is just continuing to get better every game and focusing on one game at a time,” Coach Ayon said.

The team members also play together in the off-season as part of a travel team that is active January through May. Coach Ayon also keeps the team members very active in the community to strengthen the team’s bonds.

“It’s important for them to understand what it means to work hard and to serve their community, and the more of that they can do together, the better they are going to play together as a team.” Ayon remarked.

And they have been playing well. Ayon attributes a portion of the team’s strengths to their heavy hitting offense. 

“We have a lot of weapons in terms of hitters,” Ayon told the Herald. “A lot of our hitters are leading our section in kills.”

Currently leading the varsity girls in kills is middle-hitter senior Charlee Sormano #25, with an average of 3.6 kills per set. Sormano is joined by senior outside-hitter Charity Archer #10 and talented freshman Iris Counihan #5.

Defense is constantly a focus of the team as well, according to Ayon, there is always room to tighten up net and back-row defenses, in addition to keeping serves clean.

Sormano works both the offensive and defensive ends of the court, listed as the player with the highest hitting percentage and total blocks on MaxPreps with an impressive 67 blocks, in addition to the highest number of kills. Avery Mendenhall #24 follows as second leader in blocks with 19 total.

Junior Isabel Santillan #4 ranks first in serving aces with 48, followed by Tati Rivero #11 with 39 and Charlee Sormano with 34.

In order to make the playoffs, the team has to meet the required 500 overall record, or 500 overall record, in league play to proceed. Ayon shares that in past years, Gridley varsity volleyball has made it to third, and then last year, second-place in league and she is confident the playoffs are in this team’s future.  This year, they are shooting for first-place and the section title but Ayon regularly reminds her players of one thing.

“A lot of times when you play a team that is considered your rival, it kind of gets in your head and you don’t play to your potential,” so Ayon pushes the players to focus on who they are playing for.

“We play for each other and focus on our side of the net…that’s what is going to make them the most successful.” she said, “…and have the most fun doing it.”

The Gridley High School varsity volleyball team looks to take another win from the Las Plumas Thunderbirds on Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m.  as they return home to play during Homecoming week after press time.