The Saugus Centurions may have won in four sets in Tuesday’s Foothill League opener against the visiting Canyon Cowboys, but it took a back-and-forth fourth set to complete the victory.
The Centurions, who won 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 35-33, looked poised to win in convincing fashion at home.
In the fourth set, the Centurions (5-3, 1-0) dueled with the Cowboys and narrowly defeated Canyon (6-4, 0-1), 35-33. Saugus coach Amy Suppes said it took everything from her team to get the win.
“It truly came down to grit in the end there,” she said. “Anytime a game goes past 27 points, it just comes down to who has more grit. And I was so impressed with my guys’ composure and the way that they were just willing to execute.”
After the game, Suppes said that her message to the team in the fourth set was to “just stay in the driver’s seat.” She added that it can be easy to lose focus when both teams are exchanging points.
“We had to be the one to score the next point. That’s the bottom line, and I know that sounds silly and cliche, but it’s like when you’re tied back up, scoring the next point gives you game point,” she said.
In the end, Centurions’ freshman Ian Mallarie secured the game-winning kill and completed the win for Saugus.
Immy Ranit ended the day with 51 assists for Saugus and Mallari led all Saugus hitters in kills with 18.
Senior libero Riley Arana secured 16 digs, and Ryan Johnson had five aces across all four sets.
With the win, Suppes is excited to have started Foothill League play with a win over Canyon and is looking forward to using the momentum into their next game.
“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing,” she said. “We have to play like that, and something that my college coach used to tell me is that the most important game is the next one. So now we’re looking forward to Golden Valley.”
The Centurions play again on Thursday on the road against the Grizzlies at Golden Valley with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
The Cowboys will look to bounce back on the road against the Valencia Vikings on Thursday with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
After Tuesday night’s games, here are scores from around the Foothill League:
Valencia 3, Hart 0: The Vikings (5-6, 1-0) secured the sweep in their first Foothill League game of the season at home against the visiting Hart Hawks (3-4, 0-1).
The Vikings defeated the Hawks, 25-13, 25-19, 25-18, and will be back home Thursday against the Cowboys with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
The Hawks will look to bounce back in their next league game on Tuesday, March 10, at home against the visiting Castaic Coyotes.
Golden Valley 3, Castaic 1: The Grizzlies (4-6, 1-0) opened Foothill League play with a win at home over the visiting Castaic Coyotes (8-1, 0-1).
The Grizzlies defeated the Coyotes in four sets, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25, 31-29, and play again on Thursday at home against the Saugus Centurions with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
The Coyotes will look to bounce back at home in their next league match against the West Ranch Wildcats on Thursday, with the game set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
