Gustine – The Gustine Reds (5-12) snapped a frustrating four-game losing streak on Oct. 8, defeating the visiting Waterford Wildcats (3-14) in a hard-fought volleyball match that went four sets. The Reds showcased resilience and powerful offense to secure the much-needed home victory. Gustine won 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 24-26, 25-21)

The Reds came out strong in the first set. Despite a close back-and-forth battle early on, the Wildcats could not match Gustine's powerful attack. The Reds dominated the latter half of the set, winning comfortably 25-18.

The second set proved to be the tightest of the night. Both squads displayed great defensive effort and powerful attacks, leading to a late-set tie at 20-20. Gustine managed to pull ahead by three points, but the Wildcats refused to give up, scoring three points of their own to tie it again. The Reds, however, showed composure to score the final points and put the match to rest, narrowly winning 25-23.

Starting slow, the Reds found themselves down by four points early in the third set. Sparked by strong serving from Player #13 Adamaris Sierra, Gustine rallied back to tie the score at 13. Waterford called a timeout to halt the momentum, which briefly worked. Gustine surged again to lead 18-14 before the Wildcats applied pressure, tying the score once more at 19-19. In a nail-biting finish, the Reds were unable to close out the set, with the Wildcats staging a final push to take the match 26-24 and keep their hopes alive.

With their backs against the wall, the Reds displayed the grit necessary to avoid a fifth-set decider. In a fourth set marked by close, back-and-forth action, Gustine maintained their intensity. The team’s determination paid off as they powered through, winning the set 25-21. The victory officially broke their four-game losing streak.

The Gustine Reds will look to carry this momentum forward when they host the Denair Coyotes in Gustine on Monday, October 13, at 6 p.m.