The Merced Bears hosted the El Capitan Gauchos on Tuesday evening in a CCC matchup that had “Big Game” written all over it ever since the Bears defeated the Gauchos 3-2 earlier this season. El Capitan entered the match 7-1 in league play and tied for first place with Golden Valley High, while Merced came in 5-3, looking to gain some ground on the competition.
Set 1
Set one began with both teams trading points and staying relatively even for most of the matchup. However, El Capitan eventually separated themselves by limiting mistakes and maintaining consistent pressure on the Bears. Strong blocking at the net, led by Tyler McCreary and Anthony Jones, made it difficult for Merced’s offense to find clean kills. While the Bears stayed within reach, El Capitan maintained control late and closed out the set 25-21. The win swung momentum El Capitan’s way, but the Bears weren’t finished yet.
Set 2
Set two saw Merced respond with more urgency, jumping out to an early lead behind aggressive play from Pablo Santiago and a strong net presence from Jacob Dickson. Merced was able to stay in control for most of the set. Consistent pressure from the Bears offense, including kills by Emmanuel Sanchez allowed the Bears to take advantage of El Capitan errors. The Bears were able to gain a lead and maintain it throughout the set. The Gauchos, struggling to keep up, ended up losing the set by a wide margin as the Bears closed things out 25-15 to even the match at one set apiece.
Set 3
Set three started with momentum shifting back toward El Capitan. While Merced had moments of strong defense, including multiple digs from Erick Nevarez and key blocks from Dickson, hitting errors became a recurring issue. El Capitan capitalized with improved team chemistry, strong blocking from Gabriel Olvera and Anthony Jones, and five kills from Tyler McCreary. The tall and athletic combination of Olvera, Jones and McCreary gave the Bears trouble as the Gauchos built a steady lead and closed out the set 25-17 to take a 2-1 match advantage.
Set 4
Set four featured one of Merced’s strongest stretches of the night. The Bears came out with energy, with Dickson controlling the net through multiple blocks and Santiago leading the team offensively with six consistent kills. Nevarez anchored the defense with key saves that extended rallies and kept pressure on El Capitan. Before El Capitan knew it, Merced had themselves in the driver’s seat, ready to even up the match. The Bears were able to maintain control throughout the set and closed it out 25-17, swinging momentum back to the home team as they forced a decisive fifth set.
Set 5
Set five was tightly contested from the start, with both teams trading points and momentum. Early errors and strong plays on both sides kept the score close, and neither team could create much separation. McCreary continued to lead El Capitan offensively adding another five kills, while Merced relied on Santiago, Dickson, and contributions across the lineup. With the score tied late, and both teams matching each other point for point, it became evident that the team that blinked first would lose the matchup. The Gauchos were able to capitalize in the final moments on Merced errors and pulled ahead. With that opportunity, El Capitan was able to close things out 16-14, in a game that went blow for blow until the final point.
El Capitan senior Anthony Jones reflected on the win as a meaningful step for the team, emphasizing how the group has been working to stay connected throughout the season. “This one was a lot! The whole season we’ve been trying to fight and not necessarily prove who we are, but show how we play as a team,” he said. “There’s moments throughout the season where we’ve been breaking apart, but we were trying to maintain and make sure that we stick together and get through every game, point by point.”
Jones shared that defense remained a central focus for the team. “Our focus was making sure we have a solid defense so we can retaliate on offense,” he said. Jones also mentioned how he wanted to win this game for his team: “[My] personal goal was to help my teammates, especially Tyler, get this win because it means more to him than it does to me,” Teammate Tyler McCreary is a senior this year and has been playing varsity volleyball for El Capitan since his freshman year.
Looking ahead, Merced will travel to Los Banos on April 22 for a 5:30 p.m. matchup with the Tigers, marking the Bears’ final league game of the season. El Capitan, meanwhile, also will travel to their hometown rivals, the Golden Valley Cougars on April 23 at 6:00 p.m. in their final league game of the season. With both teams in that game entering tied for first, the outcome should decide who will take home the 2026 CCC league title.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos. ↩︎
