Torres loses battle to NYL’s top team
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Matilda Torres’ Alexis Barriga gets an attack past the Hoover block in Thursday’s three-set loss to the Patriots. Barriga led the Toros with eight kills.
After the Hoover-Fresno Patriots knocked off the Madera South Stallions earlier in the week, Matilda Torres Toros girls volleyball head coach Adam Horner knew his team had a chance to make some noise.
Although the Toros lost to the NYL-leading Patriots in three straight sets and were outscored 75-47, Horner felt his team grow and gave the Patriots a battle to win a set.
“We faced against the top team in the league and we made it a match,” he said.
The Patriots won the first and third sets by 25-10 and 25-13 scores, but it was the second set that got Horner enthused. His team battled tough and lost the second set 26-24.
“They battled back,” he said. “We went through some adversity in that set. They fought hard. Both of the teams were undefeated in league this year. We have a tough tournament this weekend. It’s just another opportunity for us to get better.”
Alexis Barriga led the Toros with eight kills and four aces. However, the rest of the team combined for seven kills total.
Meanwhile, the Patriots served up more aces (18) than the Toros had kills (15).
The Toros took the early lead with a Barriga kill and a point served up by Aida Aquino.
However, the Patriots got the side out and served up four straight aces in a five-point run for a 6-2 lead.
Hoover missed its next serve and Barriga served up one of her four aces, but missed her next serve. Hoover served up two more aces before a missed serve for a 9-4 lead.
A Torres missed serve gave the Patriots the serve. Torres was called for three violations and Hoover served up an ace for a 14-5 lead. After another trade in side outs, the Patriots put down three kills and recorded a solo block for an 18-6 lead.
The Toros got a kill by Barriga for a 19-9 Hoover lead. However, the Patriots closed the set with six of the next seven points for a 25-10 win.
Aquino served up ace to give the Toros a 2-0 lead in the second set. After a Hoover missed serve, Emily Moreno served up three straight points, with a kill by Bryance Gonzalez for an 8-3 lead.
Barriga kept the Toros in the lead with a back row kill. A missed serve gave Hoover the serve and the Patriots scored three straight points to tie the set at nine.
The Toros kept the lead with a Gonzalez side out kill and Aquino added another kill for a 12-9 lead. Gonzalez served up two points for a 15-11 lead. The Toros kept the pressure up with an ace from Aquino and a kill by Barriga for an 18-12 lead.
Hoover served up two aces to cut the lead to three, but Barriga served up two straight aces before controversy hit.
Hoover called time out and complained that the glare from the sun coming into the gym was causing problems. The officials stopped the game, and any momentum the Toros had.
After the match was restarted, Hoover outscored the Toros 11-3. Hoover scored four straight points before Moreno got a kill.
The twams traded three straight side outs before Hoover scored a pair of points for a 24-23 lead.
Sayde Solis put down a back row kill to tie the set. Hoover put down a kill for the side out and Torres was in the net for a Patriots’ win, 26-24.
In the third set, Barriga got a side out kill and an ace for an early 3-2 lead. Sarah Guillen served up an ace for a 6-5 lead.
However, a missed serve led to three Hoover points for an 8-6 lead. After a trade in missed serves, Hoover scored three straight points to lead 12-7.
Barriga put down a kill to cut the lead to three. However, Hoover scored the next six points for an 18-9 lead.
Aquino served up a point to cut the lead to seven. Hoover got the side out and scored five straight points to get to match point.
Moreno put down a kill and recorded a solo block. However, the Patriots put down a kill for a 25-13 victory.
