Volleyball Preview: Santiago Sharks vs. Corona Panthers
Santiago is 10-0 against Corona since October of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Santiago Sharks will welcome the Corona Panthers at 5:30 p.m. Santiago is coming into the game on a three-game losing streak.
Last Thursday, Santiago came up short against Roosevelt and fell 3-1. While the Sharks didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Mustangs 25-17 in the first period.
Santiago started the match hot and won the first set, but they struggled down the stretch and lost the last three. The match finished with set scores of 23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-20.
Despite the loss, Santiago had strong showings from Alexis Castell De Oro, who had 12 digs and two aces, and Riley Rush, who had four digs and 15 assists. That's the most aces Castell De Oro has posted in her last 11 matchups.
Meanwhile, Corona came into Thursday's match having lost five straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over King on Thursday.
Corona had a slow start but a hot finish: after dropping the first two sets, they turned around to win the next three. The match finished with set scores of 18-25, 24-26, 25-15, 25-19, 15-9.
Corona's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Brianna Reyna, who had 14 digs and six aces, and Norah Harr, who had seven digs and two aces.
They weren't the only good server: Corona was lethal from the service line and finished the game with 25 aces. That's the most aces they've managed all season.
Santiago's defeat dropped their record down to 10-9. As for Corona, their victory bumped their record up to 19-11.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Tuesday's contest: Santiago has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 8.7 aces per game. However, it's not like Corona struggles in that department as they've been averaging 11.1. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Santiago took their win against Corona in their previous matchup back in September by a conclusive 3-0. Does Santiago have another victory up their sleeve, or will Corona turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
