Stallions fall short at limit, again
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera South’s Aleecia Rosel sends a kill attempt past the Bullard block during Tuesday’s five-set loss.
For the second straight match, the Madera South Stallions girls volleyball team had a chance for a breakthrough. For the second straight match, the Stallions had a chance to beat a team they’ve had trouble with. For the second straight match, the Stallions had a chance to win a five-set match. However, for the second straight match, the Stallions suffered a 3-2 County/Metro Athletic Conference loss, this time to the Bullard-Fresno Knights.
The Stallions had a chance to upend the Knights at home on Tuesday, but lost the fourth and fifth sets after jumping out to a 2-1 match lead.
Madera South won the first and third set and had set point in the second set before losing 26-24. The Knights came back with a 25-17 win in the fourth set and a 15-10 win in the fifth set for the win.
The Stallions had their problems with the serve, whether it was theirs or receiving Bullard’s. Madera South recorded 12 aces, including six from Jewely-Ana Rodriguez. However, they also committed 13 service errors. Meanwhile, the Knights had nine missed serves, but aced the Stallions 14 times. The Stallions’ front line also recorded just two blocks.
Taylor Rogers led the Stallions with 14 kills. Aleecia Rosel added 12 kills, Arelis Chavez had nine and Bianca Guevara had eight. Rosel also had three aces.
The Stallions got off to the quick start in the first set. With Rosel serving, the Stallions scored six straight points. Chavez recorded two kills, Rogers had one and Rosel served an ace for a 7-1 lead.
A Rodriguez ace gave the Stallions a 10-4 lead and a Ruth Castillo ace opened an eight-point lead. Bullard scored three straight points to cut the lead down to five.
Madera South came back after two Bullard hits out of bounds and a Chavez kill for an 18-11 lead. After a Bullard ace, Rosel and Rodriguez combined on a dual block for a 19-13 lead. After another Bullard ace, Rogers put down a tip kill and Rodriguez served up two points for a 23-15 lead.
The Knights scored two more points before a side out to get to set point. The Knights got the side out back, but missed their serve for a 25-18 Stallions victory.
Bullard scored the first five points of the second set and led 11-6 before the Stallions tried to come back.
Libero Kiara Alvarado recorded a back row kill and Jacky Granados served an ace to cut the lead to four. However, Bullard opened the lead to six after an ace.
Granados made a diving dig that found an open spot on Bullard’s side of the net for a kill. However, the Knights got the side out and scored four straight points to get the lead back to eight.
A Rogers side out kill cut the lead down to six. She served up two more points for a 19-15 Bullard lead.
After a Rosel side out kill, Guevara served two more points to cut Bullard’s lead to two. After a trade in missed serves, Granados went behind the line and served the Stallions to set point.
Rosel put down two kills, Granados served an ace, Bullard was called for a four contact violation and Chavez put down a kill for a 24-21 lead.
Madera South hit out of bounds for Bullard’s side out. The Knights blocked a Stallions’ attempt and put down a kill on set point to tie the set at 24. The Knights then scored two more points for a 26-24 comeback victory.
The Stallions jumped off to a quick start in the third set behind kills from Rosel, Rogers and Chavez. A Guevara solo block opened an 8-3 lead.
A Guevara kill and a Rosel kill gave the Stallions an 11-6 lead. The Knights cut the lead down to two before a side out. Rodriguez served up two aces for a 16-11 lead.
The two teams exchanged eight straight side outs with Madera South leading 20-17. Bullard scored two more points to cut the lead to one.
Rosel put down a side out kill and served two aces for a 23-19 lead. The Knights added two more points. Rogers put down a side out kill for set point.
Bullard got the side out and served a point to cut the lead to one after an ace. After a Rosel diving save on an attack, Chavez put down the kill for a 25-23 victory.
The Stallions jumped out to a quick lead in the fourth set behind two Rodriguez aces.
However, nothing went right for the Stallions in the rest of the set.
After a Stallions’ missed serve, Bullard scored seven straight points for an 8-4 lead. The Knights added three more points for a six-point lead and scored three more to open a 16-7 lead.
Another three-point run gave the Knights a 22-11 lead and then got to set point, 24-13.
The Stallions forced Bullard into five set points before the Knights ended it with a 25-17 victory.
The Knights jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the fifth set. A Rogers side out kill, a Rodriguez ace and a Chavez kill gave the Stallions a 5-4 lead.
Unfortunately, the Stallions didn’t score with the serve for the rest of the set while Bullard scored 10 points for a 15-10 victory.
