Gilroy
– It took Gilroy almost one game to get started Tuesday. In
fact, if the Mustangs had waited just a little longer they would
have found themselves in a hole that might have been difficult to
escape.
Gilroy – It took Gilroy almost one game to get started Tuesday.
In fact, if the Mustangs had waited just a little longer they would have found themselves in a hole that might have been difficult to escape.
But Gilroy rallied late to win the first game then used a long run to get the second and completed a 25-23, 25-14, 25-19 sweep over Watsonville at Bob Hagen Memorial Gym for its first Tri-County Athletic League win of the season.
“I think we’re finally starting to jell as a team,” libero Mike Weininger said. “It takes a while to get in a rotation to find what meshes. We’re finding it slowly but surely.”
It was almost too slow in the first game. The Mustangs (4-10 overall, 1-4 TCAL) fell behind early and didn’t catch up until a kill by Alfred Medenceles made it 23-all. After an attack error, a kill by Meer Fakhry closed out the first game.
After the teams traded points to begin the second game, Gilroy ripped off 11 unanswered points to take control 13-2.
The Wildcatz (1-4 TCAL) never got closer than eight points and never led again in the match. The visitors did keep it close, pulling within 16-15 on a Nestor Marana ace, before the Mustangs pulled away.
“We had a lot of early errors and then we moved Kevin (Bruce) to the middle,” GHS coach Sue Grogan said. “Watsonville has a lot of basketball players. They are less predictable because of their hang time. We didn’t get many down blockers and yet our blockers were effective at slowing (the ball).”
Greg Calimpong had another strong effort at setter with 18 assists, and even won a battle with a taller Wildcatz player at the net when he was able to tip the ball over for a winner. Bruce had 13 kills. Fakhry had 15 service points, including 10 in a row during the second-game spurt. Leininger had 13 digs.
“We’re trying to get more consistency,” Leininger said. “Last year we had a team that was pretty consistent. This is a new team. You have to find what works. It takes time.”
It also produces some slow starts as was the case Tuesday.
Gilroy continues TCAL action at 6:30pm Thursday at Palma.
JV: The GHS junior varsity had a roller-coaster match before winning the opener 25-15, 22-25, 17-15.
