JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — A spirited postseason atmosphere permeated the confined quarters of the Morris Middle School gymnasium Tuesday, as the McAllen High volleyball team swept McAllen Memorial, 25-17, 27-25, 25-12.
Sophomore Julia Monday and senior Dominique Peña each led the Lady Bulldogs with nine kills.
But it was the two-way play of Sydney Pemelton, seven kills and two blocks, which helped propel the team to victory late in the game.
“(Pemelton) was definitely a presence in their,” McAllen High coach Paula Dodge said. “She’s come a long way. She’s very strong and helps us a lot.”
The win was pivotal for the McAllen High, who improves to 34-5 overall and 10-1 in District 30-6A. The win guarantees share of the district title. The Lady Bulldogs will face La Joya Palmview (0-9, District 30-6A) Oct. 28. A win would give the Bulldogs the outright title.
The final set looked to be a contentious one, with the schools trading kills in a heated back-and-fourth stretch. Only two points separated the teams when Dodge called a timeout with her team leading 11-9.
Once play resumed, the Lady Bulldogs embarked on a 9-1 run, putting the game away in decisive fashion.
“We’re just always playing one point at a time,” Dodge said. “Don’t look ahead and definitely don’t look behind.”
The charge was lead by Pemelton, who added a pair of scores and a block during the run.
“We came together as a team,” Pemelton said. “When they got the lead, we were kind of shutting down and not talking. Then we got together, took a deep breath, and pulled through.”
The Lady Mustangs were resilient in the second set, always staying within reach and never trailing by more than four kills. Memorial’s Draik Banks, a junior, displayed her defensive prowess by collecting two blocks early in the set. Banks finished with six kills and five blocks.
“We were just struggling on servicing,” Lady Mustangs head coach Lorena Lopez said. “When we can’t get our center the ball, we can’t the offense. (McAllen High) has a tough server that gets you out of rhythm, and that’s how it goes.”
Though Banks defended the net well, Memorial couldn’t find an answer for the Lady Bulldogs’ defense scheme, Pemelton in particular.
“You got to see her, and try not to hit right in to her,” Lopez said.
Though McAllen Memorial (31-9, 7-3, District 30-6A), is on the outside looking in on the District championship, the Lady Mustangs instead focus on preparing for the playoffs. Memorial, with two regular season meets left, will play La Joya Palmview on Saturday.