Norwalk near ousts Gahr from volleyball playoffs in a close contest that concludes under questionable circumstances
In a thrilling showdown on October 1, 2024, the Norwalk High girls volleyball team emerged victorious against Gahr High, securing a crucial win in the Gateway League. The final score was 25-16, 25-18, 19-25, 27-25 in favour of Norwalk.
The match began with Norwalk taking the lead in the first set due to nine aces, although they also had five serving errors. Gahr, however, showcased their resilience, reeling off eight straight points early in the fourth set, but Norwalk came back to tie the set at 19-19. The fourth set featured five ties and two lead changes, with Norwalk eventually taking the lead thanks to a kill from Zaidee Zepeda.
Mirei Sanchez, a sophomore outside hitter for Norwalk, had a crucial stretch of five kills to help her team come back from an eight-point deficit. Samantha Munoz, a senior middle blocker for Norwalk, also played a pivotal role, contributing with a crucial tip at the net that won the match for her team.
Diana Avina, a senior opposite hitter for Norwalk, was instrumental during the comeback in the fourth set, recording a kill and three aces. Gahr served 24 aces in the match, with nine coming from sophomore libero Jayden Sydenham and eight more from junior outside hitter Genesis Islas.
Despite the loss, Gahr did not look like a team that had lost six straight matches. Coach Enrique Galicia and the team had a good grip on their serving in the first two sets of the match. However, Alex Quan-Madrid, an assistant coach for Gahr, expressed concern about a net call and felt a replay could have been beneficial.
The win put Norwalk in third place with a record of 2-2 in league action and 11-12 overall. This is the best two-year, or close to two-year stretch by Gahr in over 25 seasons. Gahr High girls volleyball team began the second round of league action against La Mirada on Oct. 3, with a record of 0-4 in league play and 15-16 overall.
Assistant coach Alex Quan-Madrid believes this season's team is more skilled than last season's team, which went 22-12 last season and tied for third place in the league. The girls on the Norwalk team are still hungry and understand a lot can change with their next four games. The Gladiators have one more win in just under two full seasons than they had in the 2018 and 2019 seasons combined.
The match ended after several minutes of discussion between a member of the Gahr coaching staff and Joe Soto, the down referee. Despite the close scoreline, Norwalk's determination and skill shone through, securing a hard-fought victory against Gahr.
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