Coyotes get sweep of Stallions
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Angel Leon tries to get a hit past the block of Madera South’s Flavio Quiroz during Thursday’s three-set sweep over the cross-town rivals in Joe Flores Gym.
The Madera Coyotes boys volleyball team feel like they are finally settling into its season after a victory over Madera South not only gave them the series sweep, but it also was their second straight County/Metro Athletic Conference victory.
The Stallions pressured the Coyotes in a March 22 match that the Coyotes won in three. However, Thursday’s match saw the Coyotes in control the entire night.
“We are starting the second round of league and they are starting to become more cohesive,” Madera coach Rhonda Jefferson-Counsel said.
The Stallions looked better, but the Coyotes looked even better with libero Josh Landeros and middle blocker Christopher Arias. In the first round, it was the pair’s first in a new position.
The pair looked like seasoned veterans against Madera South. Arias led the team with nine kills and Landeros recorded 36 digs.
“We had those little changes,,” Jefferson-Counsel said. “Arias is doing awesome in the middle. That’s our breakout player. He didn’t play last year. He’s on it this year.”
Despite the loss, Madera South showed some improvement. They scored 48 points in the first meeting, but scored 52 (25-15, 25-18, 25-19) in the second meeting.
“They’ve been working hard, in and out of the gym.,” Madera South head coach Jesus Camacho-Martinez said. “We’ve been working with them since the beginning. A lot of the guys came back after a year or two of sitting out. We had to re-introduce them tempo, how to run, how to get to their spots. They are finally getting it. We still have a long way to go.”
Along with Arias, three other Coyotes recorded five or more kills and another had four.
“It seemed like when we needed a kill or side out, we got it,” Jefferson-Counsel said. “Ayden (Orlando) got us going serving tonight with his nice floater.”
Orlando got the Coyotes off to a good start to open the match. He got Madera’s first side out of the match with a dump kill off an overpass. He then served up five straight points, including an ace. Leo Marquez and Michael Cunningham combined on a block and Jaden Gaeta put down a kill for a 6-1 lead.
The Stallions got a kill from Nicolas Maldonado for the side out. He served up two points to cut the lead to two before Marquez put down a Coyote kill.
Arias got a quick kill and Marquez served up a point for a 9-4 lead. Jaime Gomez got the side out for the Stallions.
Madera hit out of bounds twice and was called for a back row attack as Madera South cut the lead to one.
Arias recorded a side out kill and Gaeta served up two more points, both Stallion mistakes for a 12-8 lead.
After a trade in missed serves, Eduardo Enriquez served up two points, including a kill from Angel Leon for Madera.
The Stallions called time out and got the side out, Arias got a quick kill for a Coyotes’ side out. Landeros served up two straight points, both Stallions’ errors, for an 18-10 lead.
Isaac Colmenares served up a Stallions’ ace to cut the lead to six. Both teams traded missed serves and a solo block from Orlando gave the Coyotes a side out for a 20-13 lead.
Orlando served up a point, but Gomez recorded a kill on a soft hit for the side out. Three straight side outs later and a missed serve gave the Coyotes set point. The Stallions were called for an over-the-line violation and the Coyotes won the first set 25-15.
Madera South, behind back-to-back blocks from Ivan Miranda and a Gomez tip kill, took a 5-1 lead with Edgar Montecinos serving.
Miranda added another solo block for a 7-2 Stallions’ lead.
Matthew Carrera and Gaeta put down side out kills and Gaeta served up two more points to cut the Stallions’ lead to two.
Nathon Gil got a tip kill for side out, but Arias put down a kill off an overpass. The Stallions added to their lead with a Gomez kill.
Leon got a kill and Landeros seved up a point to cut the Stallions’ lead to 11-9. After a Madera South missed serve, Gaeta put down a kill and Leon served up a point to tie the set at 12.
Another missed Stallions’ serve led to five straight points. Orlando served up a pair of aces in the run while Carrera and Marquez put down kills for an 18-13 lead.
After a Coyotes’ missed serve, Marquez got the serve back with a kill. Arias sent back a Madera South hit for a 20-14 lead.
Gil got the Stallions’ side out with a kill and Miranda served up an ace to cut the lead to 20-16.
After a trade in side outs, Arias and Leon combined on a block for the side out. Orlando put down a pair of kills to get to set point.
Madera hit into the net for a Stallions’ side out, but Arias closed the set with a kill and a 25-18 win.
The two teams played it close in the third set with Madera South taking the early lead after an ace from Montecinos.
Enriquez served the Coyotes to a 7-5 lead before a side out. Damian Bispham put down a side out kill that led to five straight points.
Landeros served up two aces and Arias put down a kill for a 13-6 Coyotes’ lead.
Miranda put down a side out kill for the Stallions, but Leon followed with a side out kill.
Kelvyn DeLeon served up two points from Madera South errors before Maldonado put down a side out kill.
After a Madera missed serve, Montecinos served up two points from Madera errors to cut the lead to 17-11.
Gaeta stopped the rally with a kill, but the Stallions got the serve right back when Madera hit the ball into the net. Madera helped the Stallions with a ball hit out of bounds and a double contact to cut the lead to 18-14.
The Stallions kept chipping away at the lead with a Maldonado kill to cut the lead to two before a Carrera kill.
Gil put down a kill for the Stallions and Miranda recorded a solo block to cut the lead to one.
Madera South missed its next serve and didn’t get it back.
Landeros closed up the match from behind the line. Madera South hit out of bounds to begin the run. Arias put down a kill and Madera South hit into the net for a Madera match point.
Leon ended the match with a kill for a 25-19 victory.
