The Sun Sunnyvale's Newspaper Photograph by Skye Dunlap Homestead's Jesse Nichols makes the tackle on this play against Saratoga, but the Falcons rolled to a 35-6 De Anza Division decision over the Mustangs last Friday night. Mustangs battle back for win Homestead, Fremont football teams fall By Dick Sparrer Things didn't look good for the Homestead girls. The Mustangs had battled from behind to pull to a 2-2 draw with Santa Clara in their girls volleyball match, but Homestead was down 11-4 in the fifth and deciding game. Still, the Mustangs had already fought from behind earlier in the night, so why not do it again. And that's just what they did. Homestead pulled out a thrilling 15-11 win over the Bruins in the decider to claim an exciting victory over Santa Clara in the match in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. The win helped pull the Mustangs back even at .500 in the division. But since that time Homestead has won two more to improve to 4-2 in league play. Homestead handled Fremont 15-8, 15-10, 15-9, then edged Saratoga 15-5, 14-16, 15-13, 16-14. The Mustangs are now 13-10 for the year. But it was the thrilling come-from-behind win over Santa Clara that helped the Mustangs turn things around. "That was a great match for us," said Homestead coach Chris Crader. "With two of our most experienced players running on empty because of illness, every girl on the team really stepped it up, and the team was more focused and determined than they have been all year." Homestead stars Ellen Byron and Shelly Mellberg were both ill, but freshmen Patti Withrow and Adrienne Hoopes came through with solid efforts for the Mustangs. "To make that kind of comeback with four first-year varsity players on the floor is really remarkable," added the coach. "I'm so proud of the effort they all put out." Homestead won the tight match 15-4, 12-15, 6-15, 15-7, 15-11. The Mustangs "sided out" 12 straight times to keep Santa Clara from scoring the 12th point in the deciding game, that ended up lasting 40 minutes. Byron and Mellberg were Homestead leaders early in the match, but were slowed by illness in the final games. Withrow took over for Mellberg in the fifth game and had eight digs to spark the comeback. Mariann Hu had 14 kills and a school-record 28 digs and Bryon ended up with a career-high 17 kills and 11 digs, finishing the match despite her illness. Hoopes had 17 kills, hit .429 and had nine digs. Kelly Colvin contributed with 16 digs, 45 assists and six kills, and sophomore Christin Scarangello hit .417 with six kills and five digs. Earlier in the week, the Mustangs had lost 15-10, 15-9, 8-15, 15-9 to league leading Gunn. Hu had seven kills, seven digs and two aces, Byron contributed eight kills and five digs and Mellberg had 10 digs The Mustangs lost 12-15, 15-5, 15-13, 15-5 to Cupertino later in the week. Hu had eight kills, Mellberg had six aces, Colvin had eight digs, and junior Min Young Kin hit .444 with five kills and six digs. Mustangs, 'Birds fall The Homestead and Fremont football teams each lost in SCVAL play last week. The Mustangs dropped a 35-6 decision to Saratoga at Fremont's Diesner Field, and the Firebirds lost 42-13 at Los Altos. The loss came a week after Homestead beat Palo Alto and left the Mustangs 1-1 in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL. Homestead is 1-4 for the year. Ben Mika blasted over for a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth period to lead Homestead sidestep the shut out, but the Mustangs trailed 35-0 at the time. The Mustangs will hope to get back on the winning track this week when they take on Monta Vista on Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m., at Cupertino. The Matadors are coming off a 23-7 loss to Milpitas last week. Monta Vista is 0-2 in division play and 2-3 for the year. Fremont, meanwhile, lost 42-13 to Los Altos last Friday afternoon to slip to 0-2 in the El Camino Division of the SCVAL. The Firebirds are 2-3 for the year. Speckels stars Julie Speckels knocked in four goals in two games to lead the Homestead girls field hockey team to a win and a tie in league play last week. Speckels powered home three goals to lead the Mustangs to a 4-0 win over San Jose Academy to open the week. Michelle Wald supported with a goal and three assists in the win. Homestead is now 3-0-1 in the tough Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Mustangs are 5-1-1 for the year. Fremont, meanwhile, claimed its first win of the league season with a 2-0 victory over Westmont. The Firebirds are now 1-1 in the West Valley Division of the BVAL. Nguyen wins Nina Nguyen won at No. 2 singles, but the Fremont girls tennis team dropped a tight 4-3 El Camino Division decision to Cupertino last week. Nguyen rolled to a 6-2, 6-3 win in her singles match, and Virginia Ly won 7-6, 6-4 at No. 3 singles for the Firebirds. In other action last week, Homestead lost 5-2 to Lynbrook in El Camino play. Two more wins The King's Academy boys soccer team rolled to two more victories last week in the Christian Private Schools League, blanking Liberty Baptist 2-0 and beating North Valley Baptist 5-2. The Knights are now 4-0 in league play and 6-6-1 for the year. [ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 14, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.