Gilroy
– It’s amazing what hitting a rhythm can do for a team.
Take the Gilroy volleyball team, for example. When the ‘Stangs
took on Hollister earlier this season, the match went five games,
with Gilroy ultimately dropping the match, despite having a
significant height advantage.
Gilroy – It’s amazing what hitting a rhythm can do for a team.
Take the Gilroy volleyball team, for example. When the ‘Stangs took on Hollister earlier this season, the match went five games, with Gilroy ultimately dropping the match, despite having a significant height advantage.
But Friday’s Mustangs-Haybalers rematch featured a vastly different Gilroy team.
The ‘Stangs used their newly–found chemistry to sweep Hollister 25-22, 25-14, 25-18.
“We’ve been rolling the past couple weeks,” said outside hitter Ryan Chisholm, who led Gilroy with 12 kills and one block. “We’ve had a lot better passes.”
That has allowed the ‘Stangs to get the ball to its big hitters, including Chisholm, outside hitter Vinnie DeLorenzo and middle hitter Dominic Jackson.
DeLorenzo, who Gilroy coach Craig Martin said has really found his swing as of late, had eight kills in the game. Jackson had six kills to go along with a game–high eight blocks.
“(DeLorenzo) can jump just so much higher than everyone else,” Martin said. “He just has to find a place to put (the ball).
“We’ve hit our rhythm,” the coach added. “If I can keep the team focused on our game, we are a decent team.”
The Mustangs might as well have had a wall built between them and the Haybalers Friday night. Their collective blocking effort, led by Jackson, limited Hollister’s go-to outside hitter Jonathan Crepeau, who had 24 kills in a recent game against Live Oak, to just six kills, three of which were in the first game.
With the win, Gilroy improved to 6-2 in TCAL and 15-8 overall. Hollister also has a 6-2 TCAL record and is 9-6 overall. The ‘Stangs also own a No. 14 Central Coast Section ranking.
Martin said the goal for the season is to get 22 wins, which would be the most any Gilroy boys’ volleyball team has ever had in a season. The Mustangs have 10 games left on their schedule.
Gilroy setter Patrick Lango had 26 assists and three kills for the match.
