BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — When PSJA High met Edcouch-Elsa during the opening match of District 32-5A play last month, the Lady Bears were overcome with first-game jitters. For freshman Jackie Alanis, it marked the first district match of her career. She and the others were nervous, didn’t communicate well, and were generally just off in a three-game loss.
Since that match, the Lady Bears have been unstoppable, winning seven straight. PSJA High kept that streak going on Tuesday, taking down previously unbeaten Edcouch-Elsa 24-26, 25-23, 25-22, 27-25 to draw even atop the district standings.
“The difference today is we talked to each other,” Alanis said. “The first game, we were yelling at each other and pointing at people. Today, we just worked with each other.”
Alanis was the biggest beneficiary of that chemistry on Tuesday, sending home a match-best 23 kills.
Knowing that Edcouch-Elsa had one of the Valley’s best defenses, coach Lily Talamantez told her players to approach the matchup with more focus on placement and less focus on power. With that in mind, Alanis consistently found the open spots on the floor.
“She’s my go-to hitter,” setter Valeria Gonzalez said. “I’m able to have confidence in her and know she’s going to put it down no matter what. As a setter, I can trust her.”
Along with returning junior Myranda Garza, Alanis has been one of the biggest strengths of PSJA High’s team this season.
Coming in as a freshman with experience playing club ball, Alanis has “really kind of helped pick the team up another level,” Talamantez said.
Despite her background, Alanis didn’t expect to have such an impact so early.
“This was actually a surprise for me. I had played, but I didn’t think I was that good,” Alanis said. “Once we started playing our scrimmages, and once we started playing before district, that got me comfortable.”
Alanis also had 11 digs and 5 aces in the match. Garza notched 20 kills, 18 digs and an ace. Gonzalez did the majority of the setting for the Lady Bears and compiled 52 assists. Middles Natalie Lozano and Sara Jo Hernandez racked up a combined 19 blocks.
The win pushes PSJA High to 7-1 in district, a mark shared by Edcouch-Elsa.
“That was a big confidence booster for the kids,” Talamantez said. “Knowing they beat the first-place team, it was a big boost.”
While both teams are in prime position to share a district title, defending co-champion Donna High is lurking just one loss behind.
A first-place finish would mark another major step forward for Gonzalez and the rest of PSJA High’s senior class. After finishing 3-7 in District 31-5A to take seventh place in 2013, the Lady Bears improved to 8-6 in 32-5A last year, good for third place.
“Since my freshman year, we’ve come out in the bottom,” Gonzalez said. “It’s my senior year, so coming out on top, we just want to make a statement.”
Prior to Tuesday, defending district co-champion Edcouch-Elsa hadn’t lost a game, much less a match, since Aug. 28.
The Lady Yellowjackets were paced Tuesday by Samantha Martinez, who recorded a triple double with 18 kills, 24 assists, 15 digs, 2 aces and 2 blocks. Cassidy Martinez had 16 kills, Maddie Acevedo had 36 digs, and Jackie De Los Santos had 30 assists.
“We’re happy to be up there, of course. But we’re not in the position we were about three or four days ago,” coach Ofelia Griffith said. “When this happens, now our backs are against the wall. We have to really push, and push back hard.”