STOCKTON — Weston Ranch took three of four games from visiting Chavez of Stockton on Wednesday 25-15, 25-20, 21-25, 25-9 in non-league boys volleyball action.
“We played them before,” Cougars coach Debi Chavez said. “We knew that they gave us a lot of free balls and a lot of tips so we prepared for that.”
She went to a 5-1 set in the third game instead of her team’s normal 6-2, allowing the Titans to eke out the four-point win. The score was tied at 15, 17, 20 and 21 before the Titans went on a 4-0 run to end the game.
The Cougars coach let her team go back to the more familiar 5-1 set in the fourth game, and they responded with a resounding 25-9 win.
“They got back to their rotation in the fourth game,” Chavez said, “They were happy they could actually play in their positions they were used to.”
Milo Bayot was all over the court for Weston Ranch (7-3) with 12 assists, four kills, two digs, two blocks and two aces.
“Our offense was pretty good,” Bayot said. “We kept it in play.
“Our back row is pretty good so I don’t have to move that much to get the ball to the hitters.”
Andre Salazar tallied eight kills, two digs a block and an ace for the Cougars.
“We were having good sets,” Salazar said. “We got the ball to our setters on target and they were able to set to the hitters well.”
Armando Mendoza joined Salazar in patrolling the net with seven kills, two aces, two blocks and a dig.
“I anticipated where the other team was going to be going,” Mendoza said.
Justin Nepomuceno added 15 assists and an ace for Weston Ranch.
The Cougars pulled away in the first set, leading 18-13 before closing it out on a 7-2 run for the 25-15 win. Weston Ranch had another big run in the second game, trailing 5-2 before going on a 13-3 run for a 15-8 lead.
The Cougars were on a mission in the fourth set, scoring eight of the first nine points and bumping that lead to 13-3 before coasting to the 25-9 win.
In a battle between two 2017 postseason qualifiers, Weston Ranch begins Valley Oak League action next Monday at reigning champion Manteca.
Lathrop 3,
Mountain House 1
MOUNTAIN HOUSE — Gabriel Gutierrez put together a sterling all-around effort for the Spartans (6-3) in a 25-21, 18-25, 25-19, 25-12 win.
He racked up 20 kills, 10 digs five aces and four blocks.
“One of our other big hitters was out sick, so he really stepped up,” Lathrop coach Heather Anderson said.
Adrian Corona also did his part, pounding 12 kills to go with a block and 15 digs. Rael Carmesis contributed 20 assists and 10 digs. Eric Ponce turned in five blocks and six digs.
Lathrop hosts East Union on Monday to start VOL play.
Manteca 3,
Brookside Ch. 0
STOCKTON — The Buffaloes (6-0) lived at the service line in their pre-league finale and it wasn’t close, 25-1, 25-10, 25-11.
They sent just two players to the service line in the opening set, with Jonathan Borres notching 23 consecutive points. Rovick Hombrebueno strung together a 10-point service run in the second game, and Noah Gonzales added seven in the third.
Sophomore softball
East Union 15, Chavez 0
STOCKTON — Kaitlyn Leal and Ariana Harris nearly combined for a perfect game from the pitcher’s circle, allowing just one hit in the five-inning shutout.
Alexa Avalos highlighted the offense with a homer and three RBIs in a 3-for-4 effort. Cynthia Romero went 2 for 3 with a double, and Amanda Valentine finished 2 for 2 with a RBI.
