Newman, CA - The Orestimba Warriors hosted the Ripon Indians April 17 for a bittersweet Senior Night matchup.

Before the first serve, the Warriors took time to honor their eight graduating seniors: Daniel Rodriguez, Mathew Wales, Gabriel Esquivez, Jardel Ocampo, Yashir Romero, Joel Corona, Devon Bell, and Matthew Flinders. Each senior and their family were celebrated, followed by a heartfelt speech from Head Coach Mitch Flinders expressing his appreciation for their contributions to the team.

Despite the emotional pre-game ceremony, the Warriors, holding a 4-5 record, faced a tough challenge against the formidable 8-1 Ripon Indians. The opening game saw a resilient Orestimba squad. After Ripon jumped out to an early lead, the Warriors rallied with impressive determination, ultimately securing the first set 25-21.

Carrying the momentum from their game-one victory, Orestimba looked poised to continue their strong performance. However, Ripon responded with authority in the following two sets. The Indians capitalized, winning the second and third games with scores of 25-17 and 25-16, respectively.

Game four proved to be a hard-fought battle. Orestimba showed great resilience, keeping the score close throughout the set. Ultimately, Ripon managed to edge out the Warriors with a final score of 25-21, taking the match three games to one.

Despite the loss, several Orestimba players delivered standout performances. #9 Joel Corona showcased an impressive .500 hitting percentage along with 3 kills. #10 Devon Bell was a force at the net, recording 4 blocks and 5 kills. Leading the offensive charge was #7 Matthew Flinders, who tallied an impressive 20 kills, bringing his season total to a remarkable 203 kills with two games remaining.

Following the match, Coach Flinders shared his thoughts: “I am very proud of how the boys played tonight. Even though we lost, they played four hard sets. I am looking forward to next year, but I am definitely going to miss all nine seniors leaving us. What else is there to say? The guys came out to play tonight, played fantastic. I couldn’t be more proud.”

The Orestimba Warriors will look to bounce back in their next match on April 21, at 6 p.m. against the 1-8 Hilmar Yellowjackets.