Tustin Finds a Way to Turn Back El Dorado in Division II

Tustin survived a seven-point deficit in the third game to grab the momentum and defeat host El Dorado in a second-round Division II boys’ volleyball match, 15-13, 5-15, 16-14, 15-12, Tuesday night.

With the match tied in games, 1-1, the Tillers (14-4) fell behind in the third game, 9-2, after committing five hitting errors. Tustin, on the efforts of Eduardo Araza, Daniel Vanderroest and Kevin Kowalski, battled back to take a 13-10 lead.

El Dorado tied the score, 14-14, but Araza put the game away with two consecutive tips over the net for the 16-14 victory.

“We saw they were putting three blockers up, so we starting tipping the ball to the outside,” Tustin Coach Archie Ochoa said.

Kowalski, who had no kills in the first two games, came on in the third and fourth games to finish with 10 kills.

“He’s a slow warmer,” Ochoa said. “He doesn’t play well in Game 1, but he gets a little better in each game.”

Kowalski had four kills in the fourth game to give the Tillers a 13-9 lead, but El Dorado closed the gap to 13-12. Two consecutive service errors by the Golden Hawks gave Tustin three match points. The Tillers put it away on a block by outside hitter Daniel Dizon, who led Tustin with 16 kills.

“They were giving us the momentum,” said Ochoa. “I told the guys they had to take it in Game 4, because we aren’t any good in Game 5.”

The Tillers, who will play the winner of the Mater Dei-Foothill match, displayed a balanced attack. Araza had 12 kills and five digs, Vanderroest had 10 kills and seven digs and Jerry Smith added eight digs.

El Dorado finished the season 18-2.