Boys volleyball: Elgin handles Larkin

Elgin won two sets from Larkin in dramatically different fashion Tuesday.

In the first, the Maroons were hitting on all cylinders and cruised to the win. In the second set, they had to come from behind multiple times before escaping with the win in a 25-8, 26-24 Upstate Eight River boys volleyball victory at Larkin Tuesday.

Marcus Gonzalez's 10 kills led the way, and Courtese Cooper added 8, several of them spectacular, for the Maroons (6-2 overall).

Libero Brian Cedillo turned in a solid all-around game for Elgin that included 12 digs and 2 service aces. Setter Francisco Ceballos kept the Maroons' attack humming in set 1 with some pinpoint sets for Gonzalez, Cooper, et al.

The Maroons won their fifth straight match

"It's looking really good," said Elgin coach Scott Stewart. "I like where we're at. We're a game ahead of where we were last year and we set the school record for wins last season, so we're on the right track."

Larkin, which could never get in sync in the first set, found its rhythm in the second. The Royals led by 2 points three separate times. They led 24-23 after a net violation by Elgin.

But 2 booming kills by Cooper put the Maroons back ahead, and a service ace by Walker Demel that just dropped in front of the end line finished it off.

"We've just got to be able to learn how to finish," said Larkin coach Jason Yeates. "We've had a couple of matches this year where we've had leads and just kind of put it in cruise control.

It was just a matter of attitude for the Royals in the second set.

"They felt a little better, a little more confident in themselves," said Yeates. "They were a little more aggressive with their hitting, and I just don't think they got down when they made mistakes."

Grant Hattendorf, Zach Matson, and Chris Plantz each had 3 kills to lead the way for Larkin (1-6).