Marauders fall to Hawks
Despite coming out strong and winning the first set, Monache High School volleyball lost 3-1 at home to Mission Oak in Tuesday’s East Yosemite League game.
Despite coming out strong and winning the first set, Monache High School volleyball lost 3-1 at home to Mission Oak in Tuesday’s East Yosemite League game.
The Marauders (20-9, 4-3 EYL) won the first set 25-21 but lost the next three 25-12, 25-20 and 25-14 to the Hawks (21-8, 7-0 EYL).
“I think we executed well,” MHS head coach Rosie Quinones said. “We had nothing to lose, the pressure was on them not us. I just asked the girls to come out and give it all they got and we did good. Mission Oak is a very well rounded team and they minimize their errors on their side of the net. They’re a great team.”
The first set win was the Marauders lone victory over the Hawks who had defeated Monache twice before in straight sets. Monache’s Andrea Lopez was key in the first set with seven kills and an ace. She finished with a team-high 11 kills and had nine digs, eight service points and two aces as well.
Off outstanding play from their front line of Lopez, Hailey Kelley, Madisyn Baxter and Hally Flynn the Maraudes were able to build a 14-6 lead, their largest of the night. The set ended on back-to-back kills from Lopez and Baxter.
Monache struggled early on in the next sets, giving up nearly six straight points to Mission Oak in the beginning of each set.
“When we have the ball and when we’re on, we’re great,” Quinones said. “We can pass, we can serve. When we start making mistakes it kind of trickles down and we have a hard time moving forward.”
In the third set, Monache took a 4-1 lead before eight ties and four lead changes put things back in Mission Oaks favor. Tied at 20, the Hawks won the next five points off three errors from the Marauders, as well as an ace from MOHS Ali Ruiz and a kill from Christa Pilgrim.
Kelly finished with 10 kills, seven service points and three blocks while Baxter had 10 kills and two blocks. Taylor Chavez had a team-high 21 digs and three kills while Brianna Johnson finished with 19 digs. Gabby Cox led the team in assists with 21 and also tallied eight digs, six service points and two blocks. Samantha Diaz finished with 13 assists, three aces and one dig.
Last season the Marauders and Hawks shared the EYL title with both team’s lone losses coming from each other.
Monache has a chance to take second in the EYL and face Delano (316, 0-7 EYL) Thursday at 6:30 p.m.