Coyotes get past pesky Patriots
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera middle blocker Hunter Brown puts down one of his six kills in a three-set sweep over Hoover on Tuesday.
Facing a tougher than usual Hoover-Fresno Patriots, the Madera Coyotes boys volleyball team battled through a three-set sweep in a non-conference match in Joe Flores Gym.
The Coyotes trailed in the first two sets and made an epic comeback in the second set for the sweep Tuesday evening.
“Hoover is a good team this year,” head coach Rhonda Jefferson said. “They already beat Bullard. One of their best hitters is still sick. They had two hitters we had to watch. They are a good, scrappy team.”
After the Coyotes battled back to win the first set 25-19, Madera found itself trailing 23-16 before coming back to score five straight points on set point before winning 27-25.
“When I called a timeout, I told them it was doable,” Jefferson said. “We were down by six and they came back. (Jose) Hordaz stayed down and did what he was supposed to do.”
The Coyotes led from the start to close out the match, 25-19, in the third set.
Brian Garcia led the Coyotes with 14 kills. Marcos Ramos added eight and Hunter Brown put down six.
“It was a good win,” Jefferson said. “We need to stay humble and stay hungry.”
Early in the first set, Ali Escheik put down a kill to start a four-point run. He combined with Garcia for a dual block, Ribhi Abdallah served an ace and Clemente Flores put down a kill for a 6-4 lead.
The Patriots came back to tie the game and both teams played even, tying the set at 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 before Hoover led 17-14.
The Coyotes then kept attacking Hoover at the net. Garcia put down two kills, followed by kills from Brown and Alex Olvera-Gil and a dual block from the pair for a 20-17 lead.
After a Hoover side out, Brown gave the serve back to the Coyotes with a kill. Brown recorded a solo block. After a Hoover hit out of bounds, Ramos put down a kill for set point and Garcia closed the set with an ace.
Hoover jumped on the Coyotes in the second set, taking the early lead. The Patriots built a 10-4 lead and extended it to 17-11 and 19-13 before the Coyotes started to mount a comeback.
A Hoover service error helped and a Hoover hit out of bounds cut the lead to 18-15. However, the Patriots scored three straight points to get the lead to 21-15. Hoover looked to be in control, leading 23-17.
Escheik started the comeback with a side out kill and added a kill and a block to cut the lead to four.
A service error gave set point to the Patriots. The Patriots gave the serve back to the Coyotes with a service error.
Hordaz went back to the line and served five straight in play. Hoover hit into the net and hit out of bounds to let the Coyotes get within two.
Garcia combined with Escheik for a dual block and Garcia put down a kill to tie the set at 24 and give the Coyotes life.
Hoover got the side out, but Garcia put down a kill to get the side out. With Charlie Hernandez serving, Garcia put down back-to-back kills for a 27-25 victory.
In the third set, with the Patriots leading, the Coyotes went on a five-point run. Garcia started the run with a kill. Brown and Garcia put down kills and Brown teamed with Cameron Fowler for a dual block. Hoover hit out of bounds and the Coyotes led 10-6.
Garcia got the side out back with a kill. Brown, Ramos and Fowler each put down kills to extend the lead to seven. Brown served up three points to get the lead to 17-9.
Leading 20-17, Garcia put down a kill for a side out. Brown put down a kill and Hernandez served up two more points to get to match point, lead in 24-17.
Hoover scored two straight points, but Garcia needed it with a kill for a 25-19 victory.
The Coyotes hosted Clovis North on Thursday and host Sanger this Thursday to open County/Metro Athletic Conference play.
