Triplett’s wait is over, hits 1,000 kills

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: October 21, 2022

Courtesy photo, News For San Diego

2022 GIRLS PREP VOLLEYBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

Madison Triplett, with COast VBC

LAKESIDE — According to the proverb, “Good things (can) come to those who wait.”

For El Capitan spiker Madison Triplett, her Vaqueros girls volleyball team needed to remain patient on several fronts.

First, the ballclub’s Senior Night was delayed because of an earlier postponement when more than half of the Santana volleyball team developed flu-like symptoms.

Then Friday’s (Oct. 20) make-up match, occurring on the last possible date prior to the CIF-San Diego Section playoffs, was put on hold until 8 p.m. because of the referee shortage.

However, everything turned out fine in the end for El Capitan. Not only did the Vaqueros complete an undefeated run of 10 matches through the Grossmont Hills League, Triplett became the first player in Grossmont Conference history to achieve 1,000 career kills in the straight sets victory at Foster Gym.

Game scores were 25-13, 25-14, 25-14.

“I definitely had an idea about the milestone,” said Triplett. “There has been a countdown over the last few weeks with my coaches and my friends.”

“I’m just glad it happened in front of all of the people that have supported me.”

Thanks to reporters from now defunct The Daily Californian newspaper — the forerunner of EastCountySports.com — girls sports records are very solid, but county-wide can be incomplete. Still, what numbers are published are clear.

Triplett became the first Grossmont Conference player to achieve the 1,000-kill milestone. The junior — yes, she has a year to go — rests at exactly 1,000 following her 20-kill performance over the Sultans

El Capitan is projected to be the seventh-seed when CIFSDS officials announce the postseason playoff bracts on Saturday. The Vaq Attack figures to meet No. 2 Rancho Bernardo on the road next week in CIF Open Division competition.

Next season, Triplett’s new target number is 1,482, the career total of kills by former Christian High standout Katie Wilkins (1996-99), who went on to play for Pepperdine and the U.S. National Team.

Wilkins ranks fourth best in CIFSDS history, with her career being played under the old games-to-15 scoring system.

Volleyball switched to the point-per-play, games-to-25 system for the 2003 season — this is the 20th anniversary of this major chance to the sports — making matches shorter and faster — thus, making career records like this harder to achieve.

In the match, while Santana’s players were mostly back to full health, it was Triplett who was now suffering effects from the flu.

“It took a lot of nose spray to get through it,” she mused. “Then after the match, coach Brennan (Wong-Pau) said he was really proud of me.”

As noted earlier, Triplett’s mother was a member of the Vaqueros softball team, as four generation of the Triplett’s family “tree” — her father sells tree equipment — were on hand for the match.

“:It was all about the support and all of them cheering (for me).”

Triplett, who already has accepted a scholarship offer from UC Santa Barbara, plans to major in psychology with a minor in exercise science to perhaps become a sports psychologist.

El Capitan (26-10 overall, 10-0 GHL) figures to remain strong next season. The Vaqueros lose just one senior in co-captainAlyssa DeYoung, the ballclub’s middle blocker.