HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: MARIA CARRILLO CONTINUES TO ROLL THROUGH VOLLEYBALL OPPONENTS: CARDINAL NEWMAN HASTWO NBL LOSSES, BOTH TO UNBEATEN PUMAS

The Maria Carrillo volleyball team moved a step closer to its 12th straight North Bay League regular-season title Thursday night as the Pumas defeated Cardinal Newman in straight sets.

Even though Carrillo must play seven more matches before winning the regular-season title, Newman was thought to be the only team with a chance to pull an upset.

The Pumas did not let that happen as they prevailed 25-18, 25-12 and 25-20 in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Ursuline gym.

"Well, the rest of us are playing for second place," Newman coach Anna Waller said. "Carrillo is an outstanding team with very good players."

The Cardinals have lost two league games, both to the Pumas. Carrillo, 7-0 in league, is 16-0-1 overall. Newman is 6-2 and 13-4.

As usual, Carrillo got its fair share of kill shots but defense was the difference.

"They took a lot of our shots that I thought would be winners, kept the ball in play and sent it right back over the net," Waller said. A lot of those saves were by Kayla Boyce, one of two seniors on the squad. She had 15 digs.

"We knew Newman would have a big crowd cheering for them," Boyce said. "We wanted to come out ready, set the tone and play with a lot of energy. We did that."

Taylor Brownlee, the other senior, had 10 kills, seven digs and three aces.

"I think what's special about our team is that we have so many weapons," Brownlee said. "We're unpredictable and that keeps our opponents from figuring out how to defense us."