Mustang errors fuel Live Oak comeback, propel Acorns to
straight-set victory
Morgan Hill – Just when it looked like the Gilroy volleyball team had found a solution to its losing ways, that familiar hump that the Mustangs can never seem to get over – errors – showed up again.
Despite getting off to a several point lead in the first game against league rival Live Oak Thursday, the Mustangs fell in three straight, 23-25, 14-25, 15-25 and dropped to 0-2 in TCAL and 2-11 overall.
The lowered heads and disappointed faces of the players around the Acorn gym after the game said it all.
“It’s just frustrating because we’re trying so hard to do different things and see what works,” said senior setter and captain Katherine Hussey. “It’s frustrating. We have the talent.”
Hussey said the team was happy with how it played in its new rotation in Tuesday’s TCAL opening loss to San Benito. But against Live Oak, the old problems kept haunting the ‘Stangs. Gilroy had 14 missed serves and 11 hitting errors, which translated to 25 points for Live Oak (1-1 in TCAL, 10-5 overall).
“As soon as we get down on one mistake, it goes downhill from there,” Hussey said.
In the first game, Gilroy took off to a 5-0 lead on two Live Oak errors, a down block for kill from senior middle Alexandra Jenney, a kill from senior middle Isabelle Szucs and a dump for kill from Hussey. The Mustangs eventually built the lead to 11-6. But Live Oak made a run and tied the game at 12.
After Gilroy coach Sue Grogan called a time out, the ‘Stangs took a 15-12 lead after Hussey dumped another ball to the Acorn floor for a kill, sophomore middle Vanessa Wilkins aced a serve and Live Oak middle Katarina Cinkova sent a kill attempt out of bounds.
But the Acorns surged back again, this time fueled by two ace serves from Cinkova, and tied the game at 16. After a Gilroy error gave the Acorns the lead on the next play, Live Oak won a long and dramatic rally during which both teams scrapped tirelessly and kept several balls from hitting the ground. That sequence seemed to be the deal-breaker for Gilroy. Live Oak assumed a two-point lead that it never relinquished, winning 25-23.
“The offense finally kicked in,” said Live Oak coach Laura Coleman. “Their serving was also strong today, which helped.”
In the second game, the two teams stayed close until about the halfway mark. Ahead 18-14, the Acorns scored 11 unanswered points to win 25-14. Three of those points were scored on a pair of Cinkova kills off quick sets and a kill from junior outside Talia Reyes-Ortiz, who led Live Oak with 8 kills.
Live Oak took control of the third game, by going on an 8-0 run and taking a 15-5 lead before winning 25-15.
Wilkins (5 kills) led the Gilroy attack while Kayla Meazell and Isabelle Szucs added three kills apiece.
