Downey’s Jannin Vilchis (11) hits the ball into Mayfair defenders in their Gateway League girls volleyball game at Downey High School on Tuesday. Downey defeated Mayfair 3-0. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

DOWNEY – With one week remaining in the regular season, the Downey High School girls volleyball team is on fire with a big winning streak.

The senior-heavy team won its 13th consecutive match, with a 3-0 sweep over visiting Mayfair Tuesday (October 7) and remain unbeaten in the Gateway League with a 7-0 record with one match left Thursday (Results not available at press time) against La Mirada.

The Vikings (17-7) won 25-16, 25-15 and 25-15.

“We’ve put together some good wins,” fourth year Downey coach Shawn Patchell said. “We’ve been dropping some sets, so it was good to take care of (Mayfair) in three. It shows that we’re going in the right direction.

“I think our first contact has really improved.”

In the winning streak, Downey has five sweeps and seven matches with one dropped set each.

“It’s fun and we’re going to play some good teams after league,” added Patchell.

The Vikings end the regular season with two nonleague matches against Tustin (Oct. 14) and Costa Mesa (Oct. 15).

Leading the way for Downey was senior opposite Jocelyn Estrada with a match-high nine kills (.500 %). That was followed by three players with three kills each – sophomore outside hitter Kani Long, senior outside Jannin Vilchis and senior middle blocker Vanessa Ulloa.

Long and senior setter Alyssa Urita led with four aces each. As a team, Downey had 16 aces. In addition, Urita had a match-high 21 assists.

“She’s (Estrada) a good volleyball player,” said Patchell, of his kills leader in the match. “She’s going to be good in college. She had a solid effort (against Mayfair). She didn’t try to over swing and hits a heavy ball and it has been fun to coach her.”

Mayfair was led by sophomore outside Stephanie Chukruwah and junior middle Ayanna Greenidge with six kills each. Sophomore setter Ceana Medenilla had eight assists and senior Nayeli Gatica seven assists.

Senior libero Hailey Ferrer led with six digs.

Ten of the 15 Downey varsity players are seniors, and the Vikings hope to go farther than last years’ first round exit. They lost to Torrance, 3-1. “The (seniors) are playing well,” added Patchell.

“We played them tough,” said Patchell, of the loss to Torrance. “We won league undefeated and had to travel in the first round.”

After a close opening set with the Vikings leading by a point, 13-12, two net errors and a service error by Mayfair stretched the lead to 16-12.

With Long serving, kills by Estrada, Vilchis and Ulloa and a Mayfair ball hit out with a 6-2 Downey run gave the Vikings a 21-13 lead and they never looked back.

Vilchis had a kill to give the Vikings a set point, which was followed by an ace by Estrada to end the set.

Commenting on the hot 13-game winning streak, Estrada said, “It plays a really big role and definitely gives me a lot of confidence going into the game.

“It definitely brings on pressure, but I feel like we need that to stay strong and motivation to keep that streak going.”

The second set saw six ties, with the final tie at 12-12. The Vikings finished the set with a 13-3 run, which was highlighted by the final eight consecutive winning points while Long was serving.

A big block and kill by Ulloa gave the Vikings an insurmountable 23-15 lead. It was followed by a couple of service aces by Long.

The final set started and ended with total dominance by the Vikings, as they built up an 11-3 lead, which was followed by another big 10-6 run to lead, 21-9.

That was highlighted by two kills from Estrada, single kills by senior middle Liliana Diaz, sophomore outside Camila Ramirez and junior outside Bre Cevallos.

Ramirez had a late kill to set up match point, but Mayfair had three straight points before a match point was won on a service error by the Monsoons with the ball sailing out of the back of the court.

A valuable piece for the Vikings is senior Alyssa Urita. She said of her importance to the team, “As a setter, my biggest role is to make my hitters look good,” she said. “My whole job is to have a pass look good. I think it’s a big thing because it really carries the team. Without a good setter the team can’t persevere or do great. They set the tone.”

The big goal for the Vikings is to advance further in the post season, which begins the week of October 20.

“I think after every game, it’s like ‘let’s get the next one’,” added Urita. “Especially, because it’s (the seniors) last year, so we really have to make this one count and leave it all on the court.”

What they said:

Jannin Vilchis, Sr. outside hitter: “We (Estrada and Ulloa) all have a big connection with each other. I can trust my middle (Ulloa) when she comes to block with me. And I trust my oppo (Estrada).

“It’s really important to have momentum and after a good kill, we want the server to keep it in so we can get more kills and be consistent and in control.”

Vanessa Ulloa, Sr. middle hitter: “Throughout the game they (Vilchis and Estrada) both realize that they are both as big a hitter, so it takes the pressure off of me. Even when the pressure is still on me, I just kind of learn to work with it and I kind of like it more.

“I just get really excited and my position won’t get set as much, so I feel like when I do get something good, I really like to celebrate it.”

Downey girls volleyball tops Mayfair for 13th straight win