MISSION — Celina Saenz is one of the more powerful outside hitters in the Rio Grande Valley.
She was much more than just powerful Monday. The junior outside hitter for McAllen High pulled out all of her arsenal as she killed, tipped, pushed and literally willed her team to a 24-26, 25-22, 26-24, 25-14 victory over Sharyland Pioneer that kept the Bulldogs alive in their quest to reach the playoffs. Pioneer, which was already in, now with a record of 7-5, will claim the third seed in District 31-5A, behind second-place McAllen Rowe and district champion, and McAllen Memorial, undefeated.
The Bulldogs had to forfeit four games due to an ineligible player, turning their record upside down at one point from 5-1 to 1-5. They are now 7-6 and winners of four straight matches over the past five days. McHi will host Sharyland High at 6:30 p.m. with both teams battling for that final playoff position.
Saenz ended the night with 26 kills and four digs. The timing of those kills, however, was critical for the Bulldogs, who dropped the first set.
“Things just clicked after that first set and I didn’t want to lose to this team again,” said Saenz, whose 26 kills were nearly half of McHi’s 55 total. “When I feel like I’m on, I just want the ball and I want to kill it. It’s about focus.”
The junior hitter collected 10 of those kills in the critical third set with the match tied at one set apiece, including two during the final two points of the set to lift McHi to a 26-24 win.
“It was terrific to see her come alive and rise to the occasion today,” McHi head coach Paula Dodge said about Saenz. “She’s a great athlete and an amazing player. This is the best performance she’s had this year so far.”
The match through the first three sets had been tied 34 times, neither team getting any separation from the other. Sixteen of those times came in the first set alone, which was finally won by Pioneer on a Mariana Treviño kill and a McHi attack error.
The second set ended with a Saenz tip, perfectly placed from the back row, reaction swing by Olivia Tite, who was spinning around trying to hit a ball that was saved off a block. The ball landed on the side line for a 24-22 lead and Madison Helmcamp finished the set with an ace.
McHi took that momentum and jumped out to an 8-2 lead following a Camilla Miller kill, then pulled out to an 11-4 lead after Saenz softened up on a kill that found the middle of the court, and followed that with another blistering shot down the line for an 11-4 lead.
Haidee Moore added 13 kills and Olivia Tite contributed nine for McHi. Helmcamp, who broke the McHi career record for assists earlier this season, added 41 more to her career total to go with seven digs, three kills, two aces, and a block.
Lorelai Hill had 10 kills for the Diamondbacks, and Jordan Bravo had seven kills to go with three blocks. The two middles provided a potent combination running quick sets from Natalie Reyes, who finished the night with 37 assists.