SALINAS VALLEY — South Monterey County volleyball teams will begin the second half of Pacific Coast Athletic League divisional play this week.
King City is currently in fifth place in the Gabilan Division with a 3-5 mark (8-8 overall).
Gonzales, Soledad and Greenfield all compete in the Mission Division. The Spartans are currently in third place with a 5-3 record (8-7 overall); the Aztecs are in fifth place with a 3-5 record (9-10 overall); and the Bruins are in sixth place with a 2-6 mark (5-13 overall).
Last Monday the King City Mustangs traveled to Pacific Grove and lost in three sets. Hollyn Hearne had an outstanding game with 15 kills, 16 digs, three aces and one block. Stephanie Velasquez ended with 14 digs and 22 assists, and Alizah Carrillo had 10 digs.
Two nights later in Salinas, King City began the second week of divisional play with a five-set victory over host Palma. Hearne had 27 kills, 17 digs and one ace and Avery Munoz had 13 kills, 11 digs, six aces and two blocks. Carrillo and Seryna Novoa combined for 11 digs and five assists, and Velasquez had 25 digs and 46 assists.
King City hosted Santa Catalina on Tuesday and will travel to Watsonville to battle Monte Vista Christian on Thursday.
The Gonzales Spartans began last week with a 22-25, 15-25, 12-25 loss on Monday to the host Alisal Trojans.
Breyannalee Tello led the Spartans with 22 digs and added five aces; Maryanne Camarena added 18 digs; Priscilla Hurtado had eight digs, eight kills and two aces; Maricruz Bribriesca had two blocks and added five kills; and Alitzel Mauro finished with a team-high 26 assists, five digs and three aces.
Last Wednesday the Spartans hosted Soledad and the two teams fought to the end with Gonzales winning 25-19, 25-17, 16-25, 21-25 and 15-8.
“We dropped our guard and Soledad capitalized,” said Gonzales head coach Desiree Baltazar. “We were able to get our spark back and take control in the beginning of the fifth set to finish strong.”
Contributing statistically for Gonzales were: Bibriesca, 15 blocks and 10 kills; Juliet Villegas and Hurtado combining for 14 kills, eight digs and five aces; Camarena, 18 digs and three kills; Tello, 23 digs and three aces; Mauro, 28 assists and four digs; and Alyssa Sandoval with 15 digs and three aces.
The Aztecs played in Salinas on Tuesday night against Everett Alvarez and will host Monterey High on Thursday.
Greenfield had just one game last week, falling in three games to Stevenson.
The Bruins hosted Watsonville on Tuesday and will complete the week on Thursday with a game in Salinas against the Alisal Trojans.
