After losing the previous matchup in three games, Gilroy takes
Notre Dame to five
Gilroy – Despite a loss, Gilroy cleared a major hurdle Tuesday night.
Notre Dame beat the Mustangs 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 23-25, 15-7 in a Tri-County Athletic League encounter that likely sewed up third place for the Spirits.
But it was a confidence builder for GHS, which lost three close games the first time the teams met. After dropping two more tight games, the Mustangs were in need of a morale boost. It came in a key adjustment with junior Vanessa Wilkins moving to opposite.
“They were stacking the power side so we figured Vanessa at opposite could block their power,” GHS coach Sue Grogan said.
The adjustment paid off as GHS came roaring back.
“We played our hearts out,” Wilkins said. “We had the confidence we would do well. Earlier in the day we were talking about our game plan. I felt we did excellent with it.”
Wilkins had one of her strongest efforts of the season with 10 kills and 16 digs, but she had plenty of help. Kayla Meazell had 11 kills and 14 digs, Caitlin Chisolm had 10 kills and three blocks, Jennifer Smith had 20 assists, and Sara Hugo had 17 digs.
“Gilroy is a solid team that plays with a lot of desire,” Notre Dame coach Steve Greene said. “That pushes you real far. We have a talented team. We don’t often play a team with that much heart.”
The Spirits (14-14 overall, 6-3 TCAL), however, had middle hitter Cathy Fraide. One of just two seniors on the team (the same number as Gilroy has), Fraide was a dominant force with 22 kills. Colleen Whitaker had eight of Notre Dame’s 17 aces.
Gilroy (14-14, 4-5) got off to a strong start in the first game as a Wilkins kill put the Mustangs in front 17-11. But the Spirits fought back and closed it out on a Maggie Powers kill.
The second game was close until Fraide took control as Notre Dame forged ahead 22-13. Wilkins and Michelle Coffin had kills as GHS pulled within 23-20 before a Fraide kill and block gave the Spirits the win.
The Mustangs trailed 13-12 in the third game before Smith served nine straight points in a 10-point run.
A Wilkins kill closed out the game. Chisolm led a run that broke a 15-all tie in the fourth game.
GHS never led in the fifth game, seemingly running out of steam as the Mustangs committed four service errors.
But the adjustments they made in the third and fourth game, and their improvement in digging extended the 2-hour, 10-minute match which seemed to have a playoff-like atmosphere with the intensity on both sides.
“I saw a lot from our team out there,” Wilkins said. “We made the adjustments we had to make. (Blocking) is all about timing. I felt toward the end of the last few games our back row was good with their placement so we were able to get to balls (Fraide) hit. Winning two games means we don’t have to do a ‘could have, should have, would have’ with them.”
Grogan would have liked the team to get the win so the Mustangs could have tied for third place in TCAL, but she had no problem with the effort.
“I asked them which one thinks they didn’t give 110 percent in this match,” Grogan said. “They need to think how they played on this court today and continue that for the rest of the season. The girls have a lot of heart and have come together as a team.”
Sub-varsity
Notre Dame won the junior varsity and freshman matches. The Spirits’ JVs won 25-18, 25-15, and their freshmen won 25-3, 25-7.
