Volleyball Coyotes fall in opener
Wendy Alexander/the Madera Tribune
Madera’s Angel Leon reaches up for a kill during Tuesday’s season-opening match against Reedley.
The Madera Coyotes boys volleyball team began its first full regular season in two years this week with a season-opening loss to the Reedley Pirates.
The Coyotes stayed close to the Pirates, but inexperience and mistakes hurt them in the end of a 26-24, 25-22, 25-18 sweep.
Jaden Gaeta led the Coyotes with 12 kills. However, the rest of the Coyotes combined for 13 kills.
The Coyotes also committed 12 service errors, but the Pirates also committed 12.
Madera fell behind 7-4 in the first set despite three straight Reedley missed serves.
Ayden Orlando served up two points with a kill from Angel Leon to tie the set at seven. Reedley came back to score four straight points to take the lead.
Leon stepped up with a side out kill and two aces to cut the lead to one.
Gaeta put down his first kill of the match to tie the set at 13. Joshua Landero served up four straight points with two Gaeta kills for a 16-13 lead.
Reedley called a time out and scored the next seven points for a 20-16 lead.
Leonel Marquez put down a kill and Geata added two more to cut the lead down to one.
A missed serve gave the Pirates the serve. They added a point before missing the next serve. The Pirates took a 23-21 lead before an Orlando kill.
He then went back to serve up three straight points, including a Leon kill and an ace to get to match point, 24-23. However, Reedley got a kill for a side out. Madera hit out of bounds for set point and was called for a back row attack for a 26-24 win.
In the second set, Reedley jumped out to a 6-4 lead before the Coyotes, behind an Orland save, tied the set at 11.
Trailing 11-9, Reedley missed its next serve. Landeros served up three straight points, with a Gaeta kill, to take a 13-11 lead.
Reedley scored four straight points for a 15-13 lead. Three straight Madera missed serves helped the Pirates take a 21-17 lead.
Diego Barriga served up three points with an ace to cut the lead to one. Orlando and Gaeta put down side out kills to cut the lead to 23-22. However, Reedley got two straight kills for a 25-23 win.
In the third set, Madera got an ace and two side out kills from Gaeta to tie the set at seven. Orlando served up two more points, helped by a Michael Cunningham kill, for a 9-7 lead.
Two Madera missed serves helped the Pirates tie the score at 11. A Cunningham kill and a Landeros point gave Madera a 13-11 lead.
A missed serve gave Reedley the side out and the Pirates took advantage with five straight points for a 17-13 lead.
The Coyotes didn’t get a kill in the final 20 points while the Pirates outscored Madera 8-5 for a 25-18 win.
