By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
No surprise, the Rivera Lady Raiders and the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals played another District 32-6A volleyball match that went five games.
This time, the Lady Cardinals prevailed 25-16, 18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-12 on Tuesday at the Rivera gym.
When the teams opened the first half of district play Sept. 12 in Harlingen, the Lady Raiders came from behind to win in five games 17-25, 26-24, 14-25, 25-18, 16-14.
The Lady Cardinals had a rough first round, winning just two matches. Now they’re 3-5 as the second half begins and very much in the playoff conversation. So is Rivera, also at 3-5.
“Rivera is a great team. They play with such passion and heart that I’d just like to go over there and hug them, but we really needed this,” Lady Cardinals coach Jennifer Martinez said. “We want to continue our journey to the playoffs. We believe that we can make it. For us, this was ‘Redemption Tuesday.’”
Just like the first time the squads met in district last month, Tuesday’s fifth game was close all the way until the end. There were eight ties in the game, the last of which was at 12.
Rivera hit long to give Harlingen High a 13-12 edge before a kill by Elvira Fraga and a tip by Samantha Quilantan won it for the Lady Cardinals 15-12 to take the match.
“These two teams are very evenly matched with good hitters and good diggers,” Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said. “Harlingen played very well and had some nice hits. We just made some bad choices at the end, and that seems to be what’s hurting us. That’s what happened to us against Hanna (during a loss in five games last week).”
Stephany Garza and Michelle Morales led Rivera with 11 kills each, and Kourtney Shears added seven kills, six digs and 21 assists. Ulyssa Alvarado contributed six kills. Lilly Vera had 16 assists.
Also for Rivera, Jenny Cardenas, Darcy Cardenas and Garza finished with 28, nine and seven digs, respectively.
The Lady Cardinals were led by Addison Dickey with 11 kills and four blocks. Yazmine Martinez added seven kills and two blocks. Also for Harlingen High, Quilantan had four kills, and Jenny Nieto and Kiana Corona contributed seven and four digs, respectively. Erika
Flores added eight assists and six aces.
District 32-6A action continues at noon Saturday as Hanna visits Harlingen High and Rivera travels to Brownsville Veterans Memorial.