Santa Ynez coach Chip Fenenga felt this one - a big one - was won before the volleyball was even tossed up.

Entering Thursday's Los Padres League match, both St. Joseph and Santa Ynez girls volleyball were undefeated in league play - the Pirates once again wanting to assert their dominance over the northern rival Knights.

They asserted it nicely, blasting kills from every which way, and in effect avoiding St. Joseph's playmaker in the middle.

Santa Ynez employed its practice plan to perfection, using its strength on the outside to attack the Knights and come away with a convincing 25-16, 25-17, 25-17 win.

“This win started yesterday,” Fenenga said. “We knew they had some hitters and some height. ... We knew they had a good middle, so we wanted to move the ball around, and then get it to the middle.”

And with Aly Squires, Caitlin Wright and Rachel Szeyller roaming the outside - the whole show orchestrated by Kelsey Soos - the Pirates' plan worked nicely.

Santa Ynez, still, has not lost a league game under Fenenga, who took over the team last year. Santa Ynez also continued its winning ways over St. Joseph, having not dropped a game to the Knights for at least three years.

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St. Joseph's captain, Dayna Drewniak, played a spirited match as usual, diving for balls and encouraging her teammates after every point.

“She's our go-to hitter,” St. Joseph coach Tammy Hartman said. “She's our leader in key situations. ... I wish we'd go to her a little more.”

One player Santa Ynez made sure didn't get to see much action was St. Joseph's 6-foot, 3-inch middle blocker Aly Beebe.

The freshman basketball-to-volleyball convert was “kept off balance,” Hartman said.

Santa Ynez jumped out to an early advantage 3-0, capped by Szeyller's kill. The lead grew on a combination of Squire and Szeyller kills, Soos - one of two senior captains alongside Wright - finding her weapons early on the outside.

“I love Kelsey as a setter and a person,” Fenenga said. “She makes everyone around her better.”

Never was Soos more important than mid-way through Game 2. Santa Ynez took Game 1 handily, but St. Joseph stuck around in Game 2.

When Santa Ynez was down 8-6, Soos took over the serve. Szeyller got a kill. Then Soos served an ace. She served another point. Then another floating serve for an ace. She set up Squires for another kill, again starting the point with a serve before rushing up to make the set - always involved. She served again, and again set up Szeyller, whose spike this time didn't stick. The play continued, and Soos once again set up Szeyller, this time the kill put the Pirates up 12-8.

And then she served another point. Soos did everything but serve Gatorade to her teammates, and prompted a raucous student section to go nuts.

And when she found Squires, almost always a thunderous kill was incoming.

“There are a lot of Division I schools looking at her as a right-side hitter,” Fenenga said of his junior, Squires. “As a freshman, she was an all-league middle. As a sophomore, she was co-MVP as an opposite hitter. And this year she's setting. Next year she'll be a libero!”

Following Soos' damage, Santa Ynez cruised for the Game 2 win, and once again took off mid-game for the Game 3 win.

Wright finished with nine kills, and continued to establish herself as “one of the best outside hitters in northern Santa Barbara.” Fenenga added that he didn't know about southern Santa Barbara because “none of them will face us!”

“In the last month, she has been the glue that has held us together,” Fenenga said.

Szeyller led all Pirates with 11 kills.

Templeton 3, Lompoc 2

The Braves came back twice before falling in an exciting five game match. Templeton scored the win by scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-8.

Cameron Lizarraga had a huge game at the net for Lompoc, leading the Braves with 20 kills and 10 blocks. Erika Slikker followed with eight kills and five aces and Brandy Machado added five kills.

VCA 3, Cuyama Valley 0

NEW CUYAMA - The Lions rolled to a 25-6, 25-13, 25-7 sweep of the Bears in a Coast Valley League match.

Lizzie Horstmann led VCA (1-1, 2-2) eight kills and 12 service aces.

Water polo

Righetti 20, Atascadero 5

Josh Grall racked up six goals as the Warriors (8-5 overall) ran their PAC-7 League record to 3-1 with a win at Atascadero.

Chase Bergan, Eric Duarte and Cody Lathouwers scored three goals each for Righetti. Goal keeper Tom Ross made seven saves.

Oct. 10, 2008