GECKOS GET FIRST WIN OF SEASON

By John Baza

The GW Geckos boys volleyball team rebounded after dropping their season opener to the Okkodo Bulldogs with a convincing victory over the Southern High Dolphins on the Geckos’ home court this Friday night. GW was able to grind out the win as they defeated the Dolphins in straight sets 25-16, 25-14.

Geckos’ team captain Allen Camacho was key in the team’s victory, hustling both on defense and in the attack. When asked what his team improved on from their last game he replied, “We communicated a lot more and executed better defense.”

“We looked for a lot of holes in the defense and when they weren’t blocking, we established on their middles”, said Camacho on the Geckos’ efforts in Friday nights victory.

The home team Geckos were on point defensively and offensively as they rallied out to a 16-9 lead in the first set. Shortly after, GW’s Philip Siguenza hammered in the kill to increase the GW lead, forcing a Dolphins timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, the Geckos’ Camacho served up an ace to lengthen the advantage (18-9) but the Dolphins’ 14 gave his team some hope on the defensive after blocking a spike attempt from the Geckos.

GW would go on using great team play, including kills from Devin San Augustin, to take the first set 25-16, despite a solid effort to comeback from the visiting Dolphins.

Second half play saw both teams trading point for point both off of great offense and errors. The Geckos however picked up right where they left off, jumping to the 10-5 lead after Camacho found a hole in the Dolphins defense for the point.

Looking to battle back, Southern’s setter Napu San Luis faked out the gecko defense with a backset that found its way in the corner to give the Dolphins the point (11-7).

The Dolphins looked to get some rhythm as they cleaned up a powerful jump serve from the Geckos’ Camacho and outside hitter Phil Jardaleza got a hit through Geckos’ blockers.

But GW capitalized on errors committed by the Dolphins to cruise to the 25-14 win in the final set and pull off the home victory.

With the win, the Geckos improve to (1-1) while the Dolphins drop to (1-1).