A slow start by the Mustangs gave Alvarez High School a chance
to take control of its match with the Gilroy girls varsity
volleyball team Thursday, but an urgent plea from coach Sue Grogan
got the girls back on track for the four-game victory.
Salinas – A slow start by the Mustangs gave Alvarez High School a chance to take control of its match with the Gilroy girls varsity volleyball team Thursday, but an urgent plea from coach Sue Grogan got the girls back on track for the four-game victory.
“(Our players) came out a little flat, even though we took the first game 25-16,” Grogan said. “And game two we lost, which caught me off guard. But Alvarez is a different team from last year, they seem to have more of the fundamentals … There was a lack of focus as far as where my girls were concerned.
“I explained to them in that fourth game that they needed to focus and win the game.”
Gilroy got back on track and closed out the match to win 25-16, 22-25, 25-22, 25-11. The team is now 1-1 in TCAL play.
Melissa Avila led the Mustangs in kills with eight and Loryn Ferreira was all over the court, contributing 6 kills, 4 service aces and 2 blocks.
Brittany Lewis and Lindsay Meazell had 15 and six assists, respectively, while Jasmine Perez served three aces and Lindsey Foster had two blocks.
Overall the team had 23 assists and 25 kills.
“It took them a little time to warm up, which seems to be their typical thing,” Grogan said. “They were definitely more focused and more determined to win the (fourth) game so we’ll see where we’re at Saturday.”
On Saturday, the girls will play in the 16-team Harbor High Varsity Girls Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The team is currently in a group with Harbor, Sonoma Valley and Leigh.
“(Harbor) runs a pretty good tournament and run two courts in each gym,” Grogan said. “It’s a competitive, well run tournament.”
The team’s first game will begin at 8:30am.
Note: The freshman team won, while junior varsity team lost.
