BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Mission Veterans volleyball coach Diana Lerma was not with the team during Saturday’s match, part of an indefinite suspension.
“I have no comment to say,” Lerma said by phone after the match. “I cannot comment on anything that’s going on with me.”
The absence is Lerma’s second of the season, after she missed a pair of matches in early September for undisclosed reasons.
Assistant Vivian Ray is handling coaching duties in the interim, including Saturday’s 25-14, 26-24, 25-13 win at home against Sharyland High.
Ray declined comment on the situation, as did Mission Veterans athletic coordinator David Gilpin, who spoke to the team during its pre-match huddle and watched the game from the bench.
“I’m just supporting our girls and our team,” Gilpin said.
Mission CISD public relations director Craig Verley could not be reached for comment.
Daisy Reyna led the Lady Patriots on Saturday with 24 kills and 12 digs. Alex Jimenez had 7 kills and 11 digs, Karina Garcia had 30 assists, 2 aces and 14 digs, and Mariah Gonzalez had 25 digs.
Mission Veterans only faced trouble during the second set. After the team fell behind 12-6, Ray called a timeout and spoke to the team in the huddle. The Lady Patriots responded with a 12-5 run to retake the lead.