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Gauchos blast BHS

By Jared Green, Daily Planet Staff
Friday April 26, 2002

El Cerrito volleyball completes season sweep over Berkeley 

 

The Berkeley High boys’ volleyball team was under-manned and overpowered on Thursday against El Cerrito, falling in straight games, 15-6, 15-4, 15-3. 

The games were actually closer than the scores would indicate, but the Gauchos’ high-powered offense kept the ’Jackets from capitalizing on numerous serving opportunities. Michael Gonzalez, last year’s ACCAL MVP, led the way with 15 kills, including seven in both the first and third games. But unlike Berkeley’s one-dimensional offense, El Cerrito has several other big hitters, preventing defenses from keying on Gonzalez. 

“You start seeing the ball coming in that fast from that many different positions, you can’t help but be intimidated,” Berkeley head coach Justin Caraway said. “We’re just not ready to play at that level. We practice at that level occasionally, but we just aren’t used to seeing the ball hit that hard.” 

The one exception to that is Berkeley junior Robin Roach. Roach had 16 kills and just two hitting errors on Thursday, a far cry from his meager output of six kills in the teams’ first meeting. Roach, who had been frustrated by his teammates’ mistakes earlier this season, was more commanding on the court than in the past, a change Caraway sees as a positive sign. 

“For a player who’s been a captain for two years, he’s not been as vocal as I would like,” Caraway said. “But he’s finally taken on that leadership responsibility that goes with being the best player.” 

Roach also had three blocks and 18 digs against the Gauchos, but his outstanding effort wasn’t even close to enough. Outside hitter Sam Fuller had three kills and no other ’Jacket had more than one, not the kind of production that will take the opposition’s focus off of Roach. The pattern was clear: Roach would slam a kill for a side out, but the Gauchos would get serve back with a kill and run off three or four points before the ’Jackets could get the ball back to Roach. 

“Our ball control is just horrendous, has been all year,” Caraway said. “The first contact is killing us every time. Teams find our weakest passer and take advantage.” 

NOTES: Berkeley’s junior varsity nearly pulled a huge upset, losing to El Cerrito 15-6, 7-15, 14-16. The ’Jackets were up 14-10 in the last game but couldn’t find a way to score the point to win the match. Caraway was pleased with the junior varsity’s progress. 

“That match will be a learning experience for those guys,” he said.