‘Both sides could feel pressure’: Yuba City eclipses rival in four to kick off rivalry home-and-home series

It doesn’t typically matter where River Valley and Yuba City High sit in the girls volleyball standings when they are scheduled to meet on the same court as foes.

Both squads are invariably up for the challenge – as they were Tuesday night when Yuba City visited its crosstown rival in round one of Foothill Valley League action.

YC used a formidable offensive attack, spearheaded by left-pin hitters Madison Jackson and Bridget Lavy to silence RV in four sets (27-25, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21) and snap a two-match slide dating back to 2025.

“It was a great (match); on both sides you could feel the pressure,” Lavy said. ” … My team always talks to me like ‘Is it just me (because) I’m shaking.’ I always treat it like a normal game; if we win (or) lose the next day we’ll have to get up, go to practice, do the same thing.”

The town rivalry swings often, as could be the case next month when the teams meet at Yuba City High. From 2021-2024, YC won 10 in a row over RV. A few years earlier, the Falcons collected 10 straight match victories over the Honkers from 2015 to 2019, according to MaxPreps game history.

“This is their first rivalry game, especially as freshmen, so with that comes nerves,” RV head coach Samee Taylor said.

Taylor’s squad, a young bunch in 2026 with a freshmen setter and freshmen starting middle, showed its youth against YC with mistakes on defense, Taylor said.

YC capitalized by swinging constantly to the open spot on the floor. Jackson led the way for YC (15-5, 2-2 FVL), while Lavy delivered multiple blows during the match-changing 12-4 run in the third to take set three, 25-16.

“Since freshman year I’ve always looked up to (Madison),” Lavy said. “When she gets a kill it empowers me.”

Momentum that carried over into set four, with Jackson winning three straight on her serve to help YC to the early 14-9 advantage. RV (11-10, 2-3 FVL) cut it to two at 21-19 when junior Valeria Correa floored a rightside swing for the kill.

But YC would have the final run – a 4-2 spurt capped by a Campbell blocking assist – to close-out the match.

“They were definitely picking apart our defense,” Taylor said. ” … We were in the wrong spot at the wrong time; next time we need to adjust quicker to their hitters.”

RV welcomes in Chico for an out-of-section match today, while YC returns home to take on winless Del Campo. Both matches are set for 6:30 p.m. today (Thursday).

Taylor likes her team’s chances to squeak into the league’s top-3 and earn a second consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth.

“They (the team) have improved tremendously,” said the first-year head varsity coach.

As for YC, it sits in fourth in league despite its top-3 ranking in MaxPreps’ SJS D-III poll – a telltale sign that the FVL is again no joke as teams prepare for round two in October.

“Going forward we’ll come back even stronger each time,” Lavy said.

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