Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari's Izabela Reid blocks a spike by a Dexter attacker during a district game Thursday at the Snake Pit.
Tucumcari put itself in the driver's seat for a district volleyball title with a 25-14, 25-17, 23-25, 25-12 home victory Thursday over Dexter that avenged an earlier district loss to the Lady Demons.
The Lady Rattlers (8-11, 2-1) can win the Class 3A-4 championship outright if they defeat New Mexico Military Institute on the road during their regular-season finale on Tuesday. (The match was after the Quay County Sun's print deadline.) Tucumcari defeated NMMI (4-15, 0-2) in a five-set marathon in its previous district matchup.
Save for a hiccup during the third set, Tucumcari dominated Dexter (4-16, 2-1) for much of the match during the host team's Senior Night and delivered payback for a five-set loss at Dexter last month.
Tucumcari totaled 40 kills versus Dexter's 13. Amber Owen, named MaxPreps.com's Player of the Week in New Mexico, totaled a team-high 16 kills, including seven in the first set that helped set the tone. Caylee Benavidez added 10 kills and Madison Dysart eight.
"They hit the ball a whole lot better, and you have to give them credit," Dexter co-coach Larry VandenBout said.
Tucumcari also totaled 15 service aces to Dexter's five. Alexus Lafferty led the Lady Rattlers with seven.
"I thought we played under control, our ball," Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez said. "The third set, we got a little frazzled. But our hitters did amazing, and our passers passed and our setters set. We did everything we needed to do. We played so smooth tonight. I was really, really proud of them."
The Lady Rattlers, keeping the Demons on their heels, ripped off scoring runs of 8-1, 9-1 and 10-2 in each of the sets they won.
The only time Tucumcari faltered was in the third set with it leading 16-6. Dexter scored 11 unanswered points, partly on Marytzza Jimenez's strong serves, to flip the lead.
Benavidez was asked what she told her team after it lost that set.
"That's all they get, that's the only frazzled moments they get," she said. "They had to come back in the fourth set and put it away, and that's what they did. They couldn't stay in that moment and had to get past it."
Before the match, the team recognized each of its four seniors – Owen, Dysart, Elena Gutierrez and Izabela Reid – and their parents, giving the players flowers and gifts. The players also gave a gift box to their coach.