Stallions fight through adversity for win
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera South’s Christian Sylvia sends a ball past the Edison block during a four-set victory Tuesday.
The Madera South boys volleyball team continued its push to the postseason with a 3-1 County/Metro Athletic Conference victory over the Edison-Fresno Tigers.
The Stallions defeated Edison 25-19, 25-22,
25-22. Their lone loss came 25-15 after the Tigers used their athleticism to cause problems. Edison’s leaping ability tested the Stallions in every set.
While that might’ve been a thorn in the Stallions’ side all evening, Madera South’s ability to rise to the occasion set them apart.
Madera South head coach Steve Guglielmana said last week after its win over Madera that he has a young team, but letting them play through their struggles has paid off.
After winning the first set comfortably, Madera South pinpointed the threat in front of them and countered in the second set.
As a team, Madera South collected 22 blocks. Their toughness around the net, play after play, stifled the Tigers moving forward. When Edison got their shots off, the Stallions were waiting patiently on the other side of the net waiting for a dig.
In set three, Madera South turned the momentum back on their side.
Jared Guglielmana and Dallas Hansen combined for five blocks in the set, but their courage to challenge at the net gave Edison second thoughts.
Riley Maciel also contributed in the third set offensively. His powerful shot gave the Stallions an important boost. Four kills and his threatening presence around the net combined for the set win.
Maciel also contributed on the receiving end. He collected 16 digs. The team collected 73 digs while Sebastian Moreno had a game- high 20 digs.
Set four went in favor of the Stallions, but without their crowd, they wouldn’t have had the energy needed to finish the game. Clapping, stomping and flat out pride fueled them.
Energized by the Stallion faithful, Guglielmana and Maciel proved their worth to their squad.
In the final set, Guglielmana and Maciel were all over the court. In the back row, in the front, both players carried Madera South to the final victory.
The Stallions last two matches have been tough tests and with the top-seeded Sanger Apaches coming up, Madera South’s form is peaking at the right time.
Madera South now moves to 3-1 in the CMAC, second only to Sanger.
