BROWNSVILLE — District 32-5A has yet to reach the midway point of its season, but Brownsville Pace now controls its district title destiny.
Brownsville Pace defeated Brownsville Veterans Memorial 25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 20-25, 15-12 in a five-set thriller Tuesday. The win puts the Vikings alone at the top of District 32-5A at 8-0. The Chargers move to 7-1.
The match had it all, five sets, a raucous atmosphere from both school’s student sections and of course great volleyball.
Brownsville Pace coach Daya Venegas likened the crowd to that of a playoff match. The crowds are always like this against Brownsville Veterans she said.
“I told the girls every game counts,” Venegas said. “Not just against Vets, every team that we play, every game counts.”
With match point in hand for the Vikings, Brownsville Veterans put the ball into the net and the crowd erupted.
Senior co-captain Dyllan Lozano-Lomeli has never tasted victory against the Chargers she said.
“It feels amazing,” the Vikings setter said. “This has been a goal of ours for so long, we have been working so hard and our coach has been pushing us every day. The girls have been showing up to practice every single day ready to work.”
The Chargers forced the final set after dropping the first two sets. Senior Elise Fourt’s kill won the third set for Brownsville Veterans and her serves helped build a comfortable lead in the fourth set.
Brownsville Veterans found success with outside hitters Graciela Avila, Marifer Solis and Montserrat De Los Santos, all chipped in kills from the outside. De Los Santos found the sides of the Pace defense throughout the night.
The Vikings had not dropped a set in district coming into the night and it seemed as if the sweep was on the cards after Brownsville Pace raced out to a 2-0 lead.
Pace’s outside hitter Ava Davies was sensational on the night. Davies jumped high and delivered kills early and often, including the winner in the first set. Andie Lozano-Lomeli also pitched in from the middle, as well as Luz Martinez.
Joining Davies with kills from the outside was Mariza Tijerina. Libero Bryanna Narvaez was clutch in the back row for the Vikings.
The Chargers cannot lick their wounds. Brownsville Veterans will take on Edcouch-Elsa, a playoff challenger, at 12 p.m. Saturday at home.
Brownsville Pace will look to stay undefeated in district against a solid Mercedes team, who took a set against Brownsville Veterans last week. The Vikings hosts the Tigers at 12 p.m. Saturday.