EASTVALE — Santiago boys volleyball coach Courtney Krueger had a message for her players after they dropped the second and third sets of Thursday night’s match.
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Roosevelt’s Gavin Garcia hits the ball against Santiago’s Logan Chambers during a Big VIII League boys volleyball match on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
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Roosevelt’s Gavin Garcia hits the ball against Santiago’s Logan Chambers during a Big VIII League boys volleyball match on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
“We’ve already beaten Roosevelt once, so it’s their backs that are against the wall,” Krueger said she told her players before the start of the fourth set. “We were playing like we had everything to lose, and it should have been the other way around. It changed their perspective, and there was this brand new energy going out for that set.”
And the message clearly was received, as the Sharks rallied for a 25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 25-18, 15-12 victory over Roosevelt to remain unbeaten in Big VIII League play.
It marks the second time Santiago has rallied from a set down to beat the Mustangs in five sets. Santiago can clinch at least a share of the title Tuesday against Corona.
“We put a brand new trust in each other,” Santiago senior setter Carson Chambers said of the comeback. “We started to play calm and relaxed like we did at the start.”
Santiago (17-8 overall, 7-0 in league) had more firepower on the offensive side Thursday evening, as the Sharks finished with 61 kills compared to 45 for their opponent. Reyce Ongalibang recorded a match-high 20 kills for Santiago, while Pierce Willardson and Spencer Tran each finished the match with 13 kills.
Roosevelt (16-8, 5-2) made up for that gap with some strong serving and blocking. The Mustangs out-blocked Santiago 13-3 and had twice as many aces as the Sharks. Alex Chang, London Lee and David Gonzalez combined for four solo blocks and 11 block assists. Austin Williams had four aces to go along with his team-high 13 kills.
Santiago grabbed an early lead in the opening set, but Williams served up three straight aces to help Roosevelt surge ahead 11-10. The lead changed three more times, with Santiago taking a 17-16 lead on a kill by Willardson. Roosevelt staved off three set points, but Chambers took matters into his own hands with the set-clinching kill.
Roosevelt registered zero blocks in the opening frame, but the Mustangs combined for nine kills over the next two sets. Roosevelt raced to a 5-1 lead in the second set, and the Mustangs never trailed that game. Santiago drew even at 16 and fought off four set points, but a kill by Kaleb Lin helped Roosevelt level things at a set apiece.
The third set was tightly contested from start to finish. The score was tied at 23, but a kill by Williams and an attacking error by the Sharks gave that set to Roosevelt.
Santiago was clinging to a 12-11 lead in the fourth set, but the Sharks put together a 10-3 run. Logan Chambers and Willardson had three kills apiece during that stretch.
Roosevelt led 6-4 in the decisive set after a combination block by Williams and Gonzalez. But that’s when Ongalibang assumed the role of closer. The junior outside hitter had five kills on as many swings in the final set to help Santiago take the lead. Carson Chambers set up his younger brother for the kill that brought the match to an end.
“This is his third year on varsity, and he’s a go-to guy,” Krueger said of Ongalibang. “He’s as cool as a cucumber. He gets stuffed, and he comes back with clutch kills.”
Logan Chambers finished the match with nine kills. Lin and Lee had 11 and 9 kills, respectively, for Roosevelt, which remains a game ahead of Norco for second place.
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