Results tagged “Citrus Belt League Boys Volleyball” from Yucaipa Now

YUCAIPA - The Thunderbirds boys volleyball team hosts Montebello Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV Playoffs.

Both teams swept aside their first-round opponents by 3-1 scores, and come into the match as the #1 teams from their leagues.

Yucaipa won the Citrus Belt League with a 12-2 record, 15-3 overall, while the Montebello Oilers claimed the Almont League championship with a 9-1 record, 16-6 overall.

Yucaipa met Ganesha in the first round on Friday and the match proved a thriller with Yucaipa prevailing 26-24, 25-19, 24-26, and 26-24.

What: Yucaipa Thunderbirds meet Montebello in the second round of CIF Playoffs.
When: Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Where: Yucaipa High School.

The Thunderbirds defeated the Ganesha Giants, 26-24, 25-19, 24-26, 26-24 in the CIF SS Div. IV boys volleyball playoffs, Friday, at Yucaipa High School.
By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - The Yucaipa boys' volleyball teams' jerseys bear the name Thunderbirds, of course, but after Friday night's opening round in the playoffs, it might be appropriate to add, "Comeback Kids."

Yucaipa dashed the hopes of victory of the visiting Ganesha Giants (5-5 Miramonte League, 12-6-1 overall) by staging a dramatic comeback in the first game of a four-game set to defeat the Giants, 26-24, 25-19, 24-26, 26-24, in first-round play of the CIF Southern Section Division IV Playoffs.

Yucaipa (15-3, 12-2 Citrus Belt League champion and #1 seed) fell behind from the get-go with Ganesha jumping out to 6-2, 16-9, and 23-18 leads. But in the final stage of the game the Thunderbirds staged a ferocious comeback fueled by senior outside hitters Garrett Barham (20 kills), Ellery Buck (13 kills), and Casey Garrison (9 kills), along with some game-saving defense.

Barham and Garrison teamed-up to block a Giant's kill attempt and pull the Thunderbirds within, 22-23, then Barham tied the game at 24-24 will a kill, and his block produced the game-winner to pull out an improbable victory.

"Garrett played well tonight, he was really on," said Yucaipa Head Coach, Gail Diliberto. Barham led the way with his 20 kills, 8 ace serves, and 17 digs.

By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - The question: "Are they all like this?"

The answer: "I've been on varsity for four years and every time we play Redlands it's like this," said Garrett Barham, the Yucaipa Thunderbirds' senior outside hitter.

The Thunderbirds and Redlands High Terriers met in an volleyball match on Wednesday that had a lot at stake. If Yucaipa wins, they'd have a pretty good lock on at least a tie for the Citrus Belt League championship. A loss and the Thunderbirds would have to win their final two matches to forge that league tie.

But in a frenzied, playoff like atmosphere, and in a Redlands gymnasium filled with screaming fans on both sides, Yucaipa dropped the fifth and deciding game, 13-15, after both teams had split the first four games, 2-2. The win gives Redlands a 12-3 league record, while Yucaipa stands at 12-2.

Both of the Thunderbirds' CBL losses come at the hands of the Terriers. In their first meeting, it was no contest as Redlands blitzed Yucaipa 3-0.

"We have a great rivalry," said Yucaipa Head Coach Gail Diliberto, adding that in the first meeting, Yucaipa lacked the effort and intensity to win. But today's match was a different story, she said. "The way we played today, that's what I want from them."