Mustangs win ninth league game with CCS Playoffs looming
SEASIDE – The Gilroy High boys volleyball team took one step closer to securing a Central Coast Section Playoff berth with Wednesday’s three-game sweep of league-foe Seaside, 16-14, 15-11, 15-12.
With Live Oak losing to Hollister last Friday, the Mustangs (9-4 in the Monterey Bay League) are in a second-place tie with the neighboring rival Acorns – who will host Gilroy for a Friday showdown at 6:30 p.m. The last time these two teams met, Live Oak won in an over three-hour, five-game marathon match at Gilroy High.
In the victory over Seaside, which beat Gilroy in the first meeting, the Mustangs were led by junior hitters Scott Martin (12 kills), Jason Mendeceles (10 kills) and Jon Bowe (seven kills). Once again, senior setter Josh Corioso (41 assists) made sure everyone got involved in the attack.
On the defensive side, junior middle blocker Josh Gravell and sophomore Kyle Loving, a junior varsity call-up, combined for 36 touches for blocks.
In game-one, Gilroy trailed by scores of 0-6 and 3-11 before rallying behind the serves of Mendeceles and senior serve specialist Henry Quistian. After dominating game-two, the Mustangs erased a four-point deficit in game-three to complete the sweep.
According to Gilroy co-head coach Craig Martin, Friday’s season-finale against Live Oak will determine which team goes to CCS.
