TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Edinburg Vela relied on senior leadership to pound and pass its way right by Mission High — even with a few struggles — and blank the Lady Eagles in three quick sets Tuesday night at the Lady SaberCats’ home gym, 25-16, 26-24, 25-18.
Seniors Jaida Muhammad, Nicole Avelar, Julissa Guerra and Cynthia Hernandez combined for 30 kills to keep the Lady Eagles off balance most of the night. Along with sophomore Dylann Guerra, the five-girl crew also recorded 29 digs and more than a dozen assists to improve their record to 12-6.
Mission, which was plucky and never gave up, played good in stretches. But the SaberCats, despite numerous unforced errors, were just too much for the Lady Eagles to handle in the non-district match between two class 6A programs.
The Lady SaberCats came out on fire and handily took the first game, but then really had to fight and play from behind in the next two to get the sweep. Edinburg Vela coach Araceli Ortega said tough games are what her team needs to do well in district — just two weeks away.
“The first game set the tempo. The second game we switched sides and had trouble with servicing and Mission served very well, but we were able to make some adjustments and overcome,” Ortega said about Vela getting behind 8-4 to start the second game. “The fact that we could come back from behind and pull together and pull through, that was a really nice thing to see.”
Vela raced out to a 9-3 lead in the first game behind Guerra’s powerful serving and never looked back, winning 25-16. In game two, it was Mission’s to turn to take big lead as it went ahead 8-4 before Vela began crawling back into it.
Sparked by senior Maria Garcia, Mission managed to stay ahead until the very end of game two when Vela tied the game at 24 and then got the last two points. In the last game, Mission again took a dominating 8-0 lead, but again Vela fought its way back and tied the contest at 13 before the hard serving of Avelar and Cherylyn Chavez closed it out.
Guerra finished the match with 14 digs and Hernandez led Vela with 14 assists. Avelar had the most kills on Vela’s side with 12. For Mission, Garcia played an outstanding match and the Lady Eagles were paced by sophomore libero Jazmine Sustaita’s 19 digs and senior Emily Alvarado’s eight kills.
Mission coach Edna Clemons said she expects big things from her senior-led squad, even if Tuesday wasn’t their night.
“I want to see them be aggressive and getting their point down, getting their defense down and getting their point across,” Clemons said. “I know what I have. I have a senior squad. They are able to play smart.”