McALLEN — Each time the McAllen High Bulldogs take the floor, they know they’re going to get their opposition’s best effort, leaving little room for error.
In the District 30-6A opener between the Bulldogs and McAllen Rowe on Saturday, the Warriors upped their game, forcing the Bulldogs to raise theirs.
Despite being pushed by Rowe, the Bulldogs busted out the brooms to sweep their rival 25-18, 26-24, 25-14 at Rowe High School, extending their winning streak to 31 straight, following a season-opening five-set loss at Laredo Alexander.
Sophomore outside hitter Celina Saenz, who finished with 11 kills and five digs against Rowe, said being the team everyone is chasing can put one on edge, but it can also be a driving factor.
“It can be a little nerve-racking, but it also gives us motivation to keep pushing to win and get that district title,” Saenz said after the district-opening win.
After taking the first set 25-18, McHi (31-1) and Rowe battled back and forth during the second.
Rowe’s Anna Honrubia came up big for the Warriors, finishing with double-digit kills. Her play led the Warriors out to a 22-18 lead.
That’s when McHi coach Paula Dodge called a time out and brought her team together in a huddle. The Bulldogs proceeded to battle back, tying the set at 24-24, eventually going on to win 26-24.
“They showed character and came back and played with a lot of poise. They focused on what they needed to do, one point at a time, and they got the victory,” Dodge said. “As always, Rowe-McHi games are full of excitement and a lot of fun. Rowe brought out their A-game. This was a good game for us because we saw things we can improve on.”
Chants of “overrated” emerged from the Rowe student section during the second set, but during the third, the Bulldogs showed why they’re the No. 5-ranked team in Class 6A, according to the Texas Girls Coaches Association poll.
“We were down because of all the errors, but when she called the timeout, we just woke up and fixed those right away,” senior Lexi Gonzalez said.
The Bulldogs went on to win the third 25-14 with Gonzalez coming through with the game-winning kill.
“It was very intense and both teams played really well. We just came out, used teamwork and communication and were able to pull out the win,” she said.
Gonzalez finished with a team-high 16 kills, nine digs and one ace. Meanwhile, Madison Helmcamp chipped in 29 assists, four kills, two digs and two aces.
Next up for the Bulldogs is a district game against Mission High at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at McAllen High School.
The Warriors will be looking to rebound as they travel to take on La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Juarez-Lincoln High School.