Gilroy High defeats North County in four games
By Marc David Sports Editor
Gilroy – After surviving a close first game, Gilroy was in the midst of being blown out of its second game with North Monterey County.
But then at the end of a timeout, the girls in unison yelled “together,” and a team was born.
Five days after a spotty season-opening win, the Mustangs were a different team Tuesday in a 25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 25-17 win over the Condors at Bob Hagen Gym.
“We talked more as a team,” said Caitlin Chisholm, who had a kill to end all three winning games. “When we were down in the second game, we were able to pull it together. When we yelled ‘together’ and cheered, it brought us back.”
It may not have been that simple, but Chisholm and coach Sue Grogan agreed Gilroy was a much improved team from the one that beat Monterey in five games last Thursday. The blocking, digging and teamwork were all more evident against a North Monterey County team that opened with a win over Scotts Valley.
“They did a really nice job in that fourth game,” Condors coach Tiffany Cotter said. “Their middle (Vanessa Wilkins) started to fire up for them and they were digging well.”
Chisholm, Wilkins and and Kayla Meazell each had 18 digs. Meazell also had 15 kills. Brittany Balanessi and Jennifer Smith combined for 31 assists.
After a back-and-forth first game in which the teams were never separated by more than three points, NMC took charge in the second game behind 6-foot senior Kelsey Bugary. The Condors forged a 19-9 lead. After trailing 20-11, the Mustangs reeled off seven straight points. Kills by Michelle Coffin and Chisholm closed out the game.
From a 9-all tie in the third game, the Condors used a 9-2 run to take command and Gilroy never got closer than four points.
The Mustangs raced to a 7-1 lead in the fourth game and never let NMC back into it. Two Wilkins aces put Gilroy ahead 24-15, and Chisholm finished the contest with a kill.
Chisholm called defending Bugary “intimidating” because of how hard she hit. But Grogan noticed certain trends that she was able to pass along to her players.
“Coach told us to read their shoulders,” Chisholm said. “Their shoulders were pointing to where they were hitting.”
Still, it took solid blocking and digs to keep Bugary and Co. from dominating the contest at the net.
“Our blocking was there, especially in the fourth game,” Grogan said. “We practiced better coverage in practice (Monday) and it showed how we played. We had a slow, easy practice rather than the rapid-fire (practices in the past). They were doing more blocking. Our blockers were adjusting to how they were hitting.”
The next adjustment for the Mustangs is competing on the road as they visit Presentation on Sept. 6.
The North Monterey County sub-varsity teams each posted wins over Gilroy. The junior varsity prevailed 25-22, 25-17, and the freshmen were 26-24, 25-21 winners.
