October 20, 2009
Tigers rebound to top Kards
Crystal Ferreiro had four kills in Memorial's three-game victory at Kearny.
Click Here for more photos from Memorial at Kearny.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
KEARNY – Memorial hasn’t faced much in the way of adversity in division play this season. But when the Tigers found themselves tied heading into the third and final game, they showed why they’re undefeated within the division.
Memorial opened the third by scoring 16 of the first 20 points and held on for a 25-19, 18-25, 25-13 victory over Kearny yesterday at the Franklin School.
“I told them we had to put some points on the board right away,” Memorial coach John Wengerter said. “They came back on us in the second game and even in the first game they put some points on us, came back real hard and I didn’t want that to happen again. I told the girls to be a little bit more aggressive, communicate better and lets put some points on the board.”
The Kardinals (14-7, 13-5) tried to claw back behind the serving of Gaby Vivas in a five-point rally in the third, but the holes of 16-4 and 22-9 in the third game were too deep to overcome.
“We have difficulty coming back,” Kearny coach Tracy Signa said. “As soon as we went to third game and gave Memorial a seven-point lead right off the top (we were in trouble)… We live on momentum and we have a hard time getting it back and sometimes it’s too late.”
For the Tigers (13-4, 13-0) it was the size of power of Diana Bautista and Genesis Mosquea proved to be the difference in the match.
Bautista was an offensive force for the Tigers (13-4, 13-0), using her long reach and power to create havoc. Despite feeling she didn’t have “that good of a game,” Bautista finished with 14 digs, 10 kills and six aces in the victory.
“Diana hits hard,” Wengerter said. “She’s a hard hitter, she’s an athlete. Wherever the ball is, she can get to it. She’s always reaching for the ball and she keeps it in play.”
“She kept hitting it straight down,” Signa said. “It was quick which was not giving us time to react to it and she’s hitting it in an open spot. Her hitting is the ideal hitting. Hitting down where it’s difficult for anyone to receive it.”
While Bautista set the tone on the offensive end, Mosquea did the same on the defensive end. Mosquea had a match-high seven blocks to go along with nine kills.
Genesis Zapata had 18 assists and three kills for Memorial. Pamela Gonzalez had 10 digs and Crystal Ferreiro tacked on four kills.
Madelyn Leon helped set up many of those kills by Mosquea and Bautista, and finished 20 assists. Leon, the one returning starter from last year’s squad, added four kills and five aces. Her serving was a key component in a 10-0 Memorial run in the opening game.
After being victimized by the big run in the opener, Kearny reeled off a 14-4 stretch in the second game.
Bautista cut the Kardinal lead down to 20-16 after recording four consecutive aces, but a pair of kills from Vivas helped preserve the game.
Vivas, a sophomore excelled in defeat, registering 14 digs, 11 digs and three aces.
“She has great potential as a player,” Signa said. “She really brings stability to the team. She’s a great defensive player, she’s a great offensive player. She’s really well-rounded. I really feel like by her junior and senior year, she’ll really take off.”
Ashley Latushka had eight kills and four blocks. Jessica Galvez added seven digs and seven kills. Missy Scarpa reeled off four consecutive aces in the first game in addition to have eight digs and five kills. Gisele Pinheiro had 24 assists and Kelli Garner had six digs and four aces.
While this match proved to be a bigger challenge than the Tigers were hoping for. They believe this type of challenge will prove beneficial with the Hudson County Tournament starting on Saturday.
“It is very important,” Bautista said. “We’re trying to take the championship back to our school and we’ve been doing pretty well so far. We’ve just got to keep it up and hope for the best.”
Missy Scarpa had four consecutive aces for Kearny in the first game.
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
|
| Memorial (13-4, 13-0) | 25 |
19 |
25 |
| Kearny (14-7, 13-5) | 19 |
25 |
13 |