Stallions beat Toros to close season
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera South’s Jazlynn Vargas rises up for a block against Matilda Torres’ J’Lynn Mitchell in Thursday’s Stallions’ sweep.
The Madera South Stallions girls volleyball team closed its first season back in the North Yosemite League with a pair of victories to place second after a three-set win over the Matilda Torres Toros in the regular season finale.
On Senior Night, it was the seniors that helped the Stallions record a 25-19, 25-12, 25-13 victory Thursday at Madera South.
Senior Jazlynn Vargas led all players with 16 kills for the Stallions. Senior Anna Kajitani added seven kills while senior setter Elissa Escobar had four kills. Senior Karina Alvarado added five kills and led rally to close out the Toros in the second and third sets.
“The seniors came through big,” Stallions head coach Travis McEowen said. “We had some injuries and down to seven players. All the seniors stepped up, some in different positions. This group has been a fun group to coach. They make all the right adjustments.”
The Stallions were given the No. 11 seed in the Div. III Central Section playoffs and will play at No. 6 Nipomo on Tuesday in the first round.
“The girls are ready no matter what they have to go against,” McEwoen said.
Unfortunately, with the loss, the Toros didn’t advance to the postseason. Alexis Barriga led the Toros with seven kills. They had seven different players record kills, but also committed 11 service errors.
Kajitani served the Stallions to a 5-2 lead in the first set. She had an ace while Jocelyn Prudente-Martinez and Vargas put down kills.
The Toros got kills from Sabrina Cerrillo and Bryance Gonzalez to take a 9-7 lead. However, two straight missed serves didn’t help Torres.
Kajitani put down a pair of tip kills for side outs. She served up four straight points, helped by a pair of Vargas kills for a 16-12 lead.
Vargas had a pair of side out kills, Escobar found the back corner for a kill and Alvarado served up an ace for a 21-15 lead.
The two teams traded side outs and the Toros got an ace from Sol Barrera and a kill from Barriga to cut Madera South’s lead to 22-19.
After a Toros’ missed serve, Diana Moreno served up two straight points for a 25-19 win.
In the second set, Kajitani served up an ace and Escobar had another kill for the early lead.
Barrera served an ace to cut the lead to one, but a pair of back row kills from Vargas gave the Stallions an 11-8 lead. Two more Vargas kill opened a 14-9 lead.
Emily Moreno served up a point for the Toros, but a missed serve gave the Stallions a 16-12 lead.
Alvarado served up the next nine points to get a 25-12 win. Alvarado served up a pair of aces while Vargas had a kill and a solo block. Angelina Aguirre had a kill and Kajitani added another from the back row for the win.
The Toros got side out kills from Barriga and J’Lynn Mitchell to stay within one. However, Alvarado served up two points, including a Vargas kill for a 7-3 lead.
The Toros got side out kills from Moreno and Barriga to cut the lead to one. After six straight side outs, Mitchell served up an ace to tie the set at 12.
From there, the Stallions outscored the Toros 13-1.
Vargas started the run with a side out kill. Alvarado started a run with an ace in 10 straight points. She added an ace while Escobar had two set kills. Vargas put down another before the Toros got the side out.
Vargas put down a kill for match point and the side out. She followed with an ace for the 25-13 win.
