Gilroy had a choice to make after its third game Thursday and
coach Sue Grogan let them know it.
Gilroy had a choice to make after its third game Thursday and coach Sue Grogan let them know it.
The Mustangs could settle for playing well against athletic Palma or they could battle back and make the match more competitive.
Gilroy chose the second option, battling from behind to edge the host Chieftains 25-23, 23-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13 in a Tri-County Athletic League match.
“That was great to see,” Grogan said. “After the third game, I was afraid they might throw in the towel. Instead, they made the necessary adjustments and played the way they needed to.”
The Mustangs (5-10 overall, 2-4 TCAL) came out strong in the first game and then went into a bit of a tailspin in the next two games. Grogan switched to a 5-1 alignment with Greg Calimpong exclusively doing the setting and the move seemed to pay off.
Kevin Bruce had an excellent all-around game with 15 kills, five blocks and nine digs. Sean O’Neill had six kills for Gilroy, which had 37 overall. Mike Leininger had 11 digs. Meer Fakhry had a strong all-around game with five kills, five digs and nine service points. Calimpong had 26 assists and five of the Mustangs’ eight aces.
“It was our best match of the season,” Grogan said. “We played better than we did (Tuesday) against Watsonville. The guys weren’t willing to settle for playing well and losing.”
Gilroy is at the Charger Classic this weekend before returning to its TCAL schedule Tuesday when the Mustangs host Salinas.
