Upset-minded Mira Loma had its way in the opening set at No. 5 Sierra, but a few adjustments up front helped turn the tide for the host Timberwolves.
Middle hitter Owen Altadonna dominated the second set and helped unlock the attack for outsides such as senior David Caamano, as Sierra rolled to a 15-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 win in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs.
It was the first-ever home playoff match for the Valley Oak League co-champion Timberwolves (17-8), who take on No. 4 Vanden in Fairfield on Thursday.
“This means a lot to me,” Caamano said. “We’ve achieved this as a team. We work hard every day, we don’t give up on each other and we work with each other.
“We just didn’t want to lose. We want to go as far as we can and keep getting better.”
Sierra had a lackluster start that included five missed serves in game 1. The T’wolves had to overcome 16 overall serving errors, while 12th-seeded Mira Loma (14-9) had just five. The Matadors from Sacramento did not have its first serving miscue until midway through the second quarter, tying the score at 12-12.
In that second game, setter Primo Estandarte and Altadonna got Sierra and its home crowd going with a series of quick-set kills. Altadonna cranked out seven of his 12 kills in the set.
The match fittingly ended with another emphatic kill from the 6-foot-4 junior, with Estandarte providing the well-timed quick set.
“I knew that if I would give him a good set, it’s a kill right away,” Estandarte said. “I just told him that when I set you, just hit it as hard as you can. We got your back, we’ll cover you.”
Altadonna also had two of his three blocks late in game 2, sparking Sierra’s finishing 8-3 run.
“We adjusted the blocks, kept the ball on their court and just switched the momentum from there,” Sierra coach Amy Rosendin said.
Caamano finished with a match-high 13 kills and even scored with a left-handed spike early in game 4 as he adjusted in midair to set that was off the mark. In another late highlight, Altadonna teed up a perfect set from the back row for one of Caamano’s kills, as Sierra began to inch away with an 18-16 lead in the fourth game.
Xavier Gaspar contributed nine kills. Estandarte had 40 assists to go with four blocks and two aces. Arda Acimis paced Mira Loma with 12 kills.
Sierra will face a tough Vanden team that has won 10 straight. The Vikings (24-5) welcome Sierra in the quarterfinals after ousting Kimball, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 in the opening round.
“I know the boys really wanted it,” Rosendin said of the program’s historic win. “It’s hard to be happy with it, though, because we want so much more than just this one match. We’re excited for what the second round brings.”
