Stallions get wake up call
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera South’s Lanaye Brewer goes up for a solo block against Firebaugh on Tuesday. She recorded 10 kills in Tuesday’s win and then had a career-high 16 in Thursday’s loss to Reedley.
The Madera South Stallions girls volleyball team got a scare in a non-conference match against the Firebaugh Eagles.
However, after getting chewed out by first-year head coach Travis McEowen, the Stallions responded with a 3-1 victory over the Eagles on Tuesday at Madera South.
“I tried to light a fire under them,” McEowen said. “They weren’t doing what they needed to do and were coming out soft.”
The Stallions trailed 12-1 to open the match and lost the first set 25-16. However, Madera South closed the match with three wins, outscoring Firebaugh 75-43.
“They started off a little scared,” McEowen said. “I don’t know if they were nervous of the coaches or losing. Once they got comfortable and got into a rhythm, they got out of their shell and executed.”
The Stallions were without outside hitter Aleecia Rosel, who missed the match because of illness. Lanaye Brewer stepped up with a team-leading 18 kills.
“She definitely had some timely kills,” McEowen said. “It wasn’t really the points. The points came because of the energy she brought, which reflected on the play of everyone else.”
Cymone Tyson added eight kills and Kiara Alvarado had five kills with 11 digs.
Libero Alejandra Barranco led the Stallions’ defense with 22 digs. Alvarado was one of three players with 11 digs, including Oliva Molina and Kylie Edelbacher, who also had 31 assists. Firebaugh opened the game by scoring the first seven points, including four by kill. The Eagles recorded three aces in a five-point run to open a 12-2 lead.
The Eagles opened the lead to 14 after an ace before the Stallions started to battle back.
Brewer started the comeback attempt with a side out kill. Alvarado served up the next six straight points with three aces and a Brewer kill to cut the lead to 19-11.
A kill and ace from Brewer cut the lead to seven. However, Firebaugh scored two more points before missing a serve. However, the Eagles closed the set with a kill for a 25-16 victory.
Two Tyson kills gave Madera South an early lead in the second set. A Tyson side out kill and a Sofia Lopez ace opened a 5-3 lead. Firebaugh came back to score four straight points to take 7-5 lead.
Tyson and Destiny Perez put down kills to tie the set and Jacqueline Camarillo put down a back row kill to tie the set at eight. Ruth Castillo served an ace, but Firebaugh scored three points to take an 11-10 lead.
Alvarado served a kill and Brewer put down a kill to open a 14-11 lead. Firebaugh came back to tie the score at 15.
Tyson put down a side out kill to give Madera South the momentum. Edelbacher served up two aces and Lopez put down a kill for a 20-15 lead. After a trade in side outs, Lopez served up two aces for a 23-16 lead. After a Firebaugh side out, Alvarado gave Madera South the side out with a kill and Brewer ended the set with a kill and a 25-17 victory.
Edelbacher served another ace for an early lead in the third set. Tyson and Brewer put down a kill for a 7-3 lead. Kills from Perez and Brewer kept the lead at four.
Brewer gave the Stallions the momentum with three straight kills and a 13-7 lead. Brewer put down a kill and Alexis Ayala served an ace to increase the lead to 15-8. Edelbacher then served four straight points with an ace and a kill for a 20-10 lead.
Perez put down a kill and Madera South led 23-11 before a service error. Alvarado gave the Stallions the serve back with a side out kill and Barranco ended the set with an ace for a 25-12 win.
In the third set, Edelbacher served up an ace to start the scoring. Tyson and Alvarado put down kills for a 5-1 lead. Barranco served an ace to open the lead to 8-2.
After a kill from Perez, Castillo served up four aces in a nine-point run for a 17-3 lead.
Brewer put down a side out kill, Brewer emphatically put down a kill off a Firebaugh overpass. Ayala added an ace for a 20-4 lead.
Firebaugh battled back to score seven straight points before a side out. Brewer added an ace for a 22-10 lead before a Firebaugh side out.
The Stallions got to match point after a service error and closed the match with another Brewer kill for a 25-14 victory.
