Mustang spikers rally from two back to top Monterey in five
games at home
GILROY – Craig Martin, head coach of the Gilroy High boys volleyball team, was playing a waiting game.
The Mustang spikers had kept their coach in suspense throughout the season, teasing him at times with moments of brilliance.
Facing Monterey High and down two-games-to-none, Martin’s wait came to an end Wednesday night in the Gilroy High Gym.
The Mustangs erased their deficit to defeat the Toreadors 19-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-20, 16-14.
Martin, however, wasn’t waiting for a come-from-behind win, but rather for his team’s potential to shine.
“I think that last three games we really eliminated mistakes that we were making this whole season,” Martin said. “We came to play and our athletic ability kicked in with the mental aspect.”
Earlier in the season, Martin said his team – with five seniors on a roster of 13 – made mental mistakes and found itself out of position to play the ball. The Mustangs were not completely uncharacteristic of themselves against Monterey, forced to play from behind.
“It’s been our problem all season,” said Kyle Loving, the senior outside hitter who finished with a game-high 18 kills on 38 attempts.
Senior setter Jason Ahumada agreed: “We always start all of the games flat and then come on in the end.”
Hitters Angkoon Pothong, who tallied 12 kills along with six blocks, and Vinnie Delorenzo, who racked up 10 kills to accompany five digs, also powered the offense to lead the comeback charge.
Martin said a “heart-to-heart” talk with his team after games one and two got his team back on track.
The Mustangs cut the Monterey lead in half, taking game three after pulling away with the score tied 15-15. A series of misplayed balls by the Toreadors allowed Gilroy to go up 23-15 as Monterey’s head coach David Swartz turned to his bench.
But Monterey would score only three more points as Loving laid down a kill to shut down a possible rally. With Monterey’s reserves on the floor, Martin said the momentum swung in Gilroy’s favor.
“We came out with a lot of intensity and just put the ball down and it carried throughout,” Loving said.
The lift the Mustangs found took them through game four, as well as the fifth and decisive game. At 14-14 in the rally game, the Mustangs scored the final two points to close the door on Monterey.
“It feels good,” Ahumada said. “Out of all the teams we played that was the one I wanted to get the second time around. They’re just too cocky.”
Junior Stephen Watson led Monterey and was the only Toreador in double figures with 10 kills. Teammate Lee J. Hinkle added nine kills and seven blocks in the losing effort.
“They won the intensity match, so they won the match,” Swartz said as his team slipped to 4-7 in league, 9-17 overall.
The Mustangs improved to 4-7 in the Tri-County Athletic League and 9-17 overall with three games remaining.
Up next, Gilroy will head to Seaside on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
