The Matilda Torres Toros came back in all four sets to record a 3-1 victory over the Wonderful College Prep Academy Wolves in the first round of the Div. V Central Section playoffs at Torres.
The fifth-seeded Toros lost the first set, but won the next three sets to advance to Thursday’s quarterfinal match against No. 4 Strathmore. In all, the Toros outscored Wonderful, 98-90, in the four sets.
Tarin Anderson led the Toros with 16 kills out of 49 for the team. She also had five of her team’s 14 aces.
The Toros got contribution throughout the line-up with four other players recording five or more kills. Amelia Specials put down nine kills while Calliope Gutierrez and Mya Lujan had eight each. Freshman Alana Hamman added five.
The Toros helped themselves with just two missed serves all night, both coming in the fourth set, but they also had 20 hitting errors (14 hits out of bounds and six attacks into the net).
Wonderful missed seven serves and hit 11 attacks out of bounds and five into the net.
Wonderful got off to a quick start by scoring the first six points of the set. They maintained the lead until Mia Camarena went back to serve.
After a side out kill from Lujan, Camarena served up two aces, and Specials had a tip kill to cut the lead to two.
However, Wonderful got the side out, and added three more points for a 15-9 lead.
A tip kill from Gutierrez and an ace from Alexa Cervantes cut the lead to four. A side out kill from Lujan, and an ace from Anderson cut the lead to 20-18.
After a trade in side outs, a Specials kill cut the lead to two. Gianna Gonzalez served up an ace, and Gutierrez put down a hard-angle kill to tie the set at 22. However, Wonderful scored the next two points to get to set point.
Gutierrez put down a side out kill, but Wonderful put down a dump kill for a 25-23 win.
Torres got off to the quick start with Anderson serving up the first five points of the set, including two aces.
However, the Wolves scored five straight points to tie the set at six.
After a trade in side outs, Cervantes served up five straight points with a pair of aces. Anderson put down two kills, and combined with Hamman on a block for a 13-7 lead.
Wonderful cut the lead down to three after an ace. Gutierrez got the lead back to five with a kill. Destiny Miranda put down a side out kill for a 19-15 lead.
The Wolves cut the lead to one with three straight points, but Lujan recorded a bump kill to give the Toros momentum.
Cervantes served up four straight points with an ace and two Anderson kills to get to set point. After two set points, Hamman finished off the set with a solo block, and a 25-20 win.
In the third set, two Anderson aces after a side out kill tied the set at six.
After a Hamman solo block, Gonzalez served up two points with a Specials kill for an 11-8 lead.
Wonderful put down two kills and two aces to take a 15-13 lead.
After a Torres time out, Anderson put down a side out kill. Miranda served up an ace while Anderson and Hamman put down kills to give the Toros a 17-15 lead.
After a trade in side outs, Camarena served up a point, but Wonderful scored four straight points for a 21-20 lead.
Specials put down a side out kill, and Gutierrez ended a long rally with a kill for a 22-21 Torres lead. From there, the teams exchanged four straight points for a Torres set point. Wonderful hit out of bounds for a 25-23 win.
In the fourth set, Cervantes served up an ace and Anderson put down a kill for an early lead. Anderson added another kill while Specials served up two points for a 5-1 lead.
The Wolves tied the set at seven with four straight points. Lujan and Gutierrez put down side out kills, but the Wolves scored three straight points for a 12-9 lead.
The Wolves took an 18-13 lead before the Toros started a comeback. After a side out, Anderson served up five straight points.
Hamman put down two kills in the run while Lujan and Gutierrez put down kills to give the Toros a 19-18 lead.
After a trade in side outs, Specials put down three straight kills for a 23-20 lead. The Wolves got the side out, and an ace to cut the lead to one, but Miranda put down kill from the middle for match point.
Anderson ended the match with her 16th kill for a 25-22 win.