Tokay High's Shannon Cowdell tries to block a hit by Lodi's Tori Shepard during Wednesday's match at Lodi High. The Tigers won the match 25-11, 25-16, 25-22, a surprisingly easy for victory considering the thrilling matches the teams have played in recent years. Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)

Tigers thump Flames

No thriller this time as Tokay spikes Lodi in straight sets

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Tokay-Lodi girls non-league volleyball tussle on Wednesday night was that it was not especially close for a change.

Heather Buzo had 22 assists, eight digs and seven kills and sister Nicole Buzo chipped in nine kills and six digs to lead the Tigers to a 25-11, 25-16, 25-22 sweep over the Flames at The Inferno.

"We always look forward to playing Lodi and tonight we were ready to play," Nicole Buzo said. "Every time we play them, we try to take our game to a higher level. As a team on the court, we have 12 hearts that beat as one."

It was the second time this season Tokay has defeated Lodi. The Tigers (7-0-1) opened their schedule with a 3-2 win over Lodi (7-2-0) at The Jungle on Sept. 4. in a Sac-Joaquin Foundation game.

"We love playing Tokay and our matches are always hard-fought and very competitive. The girls really wanted to beat them," Lodi head coach Krista Brereton said of her squad, whose only two losses this season have been to the Tigers. "Tokay is a team that plays off its emotions. They were fired up, and it showed. They were the better team tonight."

Since Tokay coach Pam Buzo took over from former Tiger head coach Dana Childress at the start of last season, Tokay has a 3-2 edge in matches over Lodi in head-to-head competition, including the Foundation games, which do not count against a team's official won-loss record.

Perhaps no contest epitomized the competitive rivalry between the Tigers and the Flames than last year's Foundation game classic won by Tokay, 3-1, That match included nail-biting scores of 25-23, 25-20, 32-30, 27-25 in Pam Buzo's debut.

Lodi's Emily McConahey tries to block a shot be Tokay's Nicole Buzo during Wednesday's match at Lodi. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)

While Wednesday's sweep was rare for the Tigers, Pam Buzo said her team never takes the Flames lightly.

"When we play a good team like Lodi who is our city rival even though we don't play in the same league anymore, it gives us a chance to work on keeping our intensity level higher in practice," Buzo said. "When we came in here to their new gym and saw what some of the (anti-Tokay) cheerleading banners said tonight, it gave us a little added incentive."

The Flames' Gabby Munsch had three kills, three blocks and four digs while Macy Boschee chipped in 14 digs. Addie Alegre added a trio of assists and a dig and Samantha Balentine netted five blocks and three digs.

Kelsey McCarty had 17 digs and an ace for Tokay while teammate Shannon Cowdell added 12 digs, eight kills and an ace. Tori Nunez netted seven kills and a block and Emrin Dhatt had six service aces to go with four digs. Olympia Lopez had two kills, two blocks and an ace.