GILROY – Five seniors played their final home game for the
Gilroy High volleyball team Thursday night against Salinas.
GILROY – Five seniors played their final home game for the Gilroy High volleyball team Thursday night against Salinas.
Though the Mustangs had their chances in both the second and third sets, the Cowboys left Gilroy with a three-set sweep, 25-9, 25-18, 27-25.
GHS had Salinas all-square at 25-25 after a thunderous Randi Groppe spike that sent supporters to their feet in chants of “Let’s Go Gilroy.” However, the Cowboys responded with the game-clinching points to seal the vitory.
Seniors Demornay Granado , Erin Chislom, Megan Wheat, Globi De La Merced and Groppe, suited up in blue and white on last time in front of a spirited home crowd anxious to salute the players.
“All these girls, seniors included, they are a great group of kids,” GHS head coach Josh Corioso said. “They always come in and work hard with positive attitudes. We had our bumps in the road but they never let those hold them back – great athletes, great students and great work ethic. Hopefully we get to continue for at least another week here.”
With their 15-12 overall record and 4-8 in the deep Tri-County Athletic League, Corioso said the Mustangs have an outside shot at the postseason. The team will find out Sunday whether or not it will get another match.
“It’s going to be tough, because our league is so tough,” Corioso said. “There are going to be a lot of teams that are right at the edge of making it. So hopefully we get a game and try and prove ourselves the best we can.”
The Mustangs held leads in both the second and third sets against the high-powered Cowboys, including a slim 21-20 advantage in the third and an 11-9 separation in the second.
But behind a hard-hitting front row of Ellie Larrinde (nine kills), Alex Barbeau (21 kills) and company, the Cowboys (15-3, 10-2 TCAL) negated the deficits each time.
“These girls have been playing hard, and they have never given up on each other,” Corioso said.
Groppe posted a team-high seven kills, Granado followed with four kills, Wheat rose up for four kills and Chislom served two aces. De La Merced had four digs.
