By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — Led by Kenya Ibarra and Christina Garza, Rivera completed a season sweep of Harlingen High in four sets 26-24, 26-24, 17-25, 25-21 on Tuesday to move to 7-3 in District 32-6A.
The Lady Cardinals (3-7) squandered an opportunity to boost their playoff prospects, as Hanna (3-7) lost to Harlingen South (7-3).
Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said she and Lady Hawks coach Anissa Lucio will have a conversation to discuss whether the two teams will have a coin flip or play an extra game to decide the second playoff seed in the district. Rivera and Harlingen South split their two regular-season meetings this season.
“They’re in the same situation as we are, that we had to win,” Avelar-Guerra said. “So we’ll see what happens.”
The match featured several swings and lead changes, as Harlingen High got out ahead in the first game thanks to a pair of kills by Elaine Coronado. But the Lady Cardinals let a 17-10 lead slip away, and Laisha Izaguirre and Christian Garza helped the Lady Raiders rally to take the first game.
Avelar-Guerra said the match was significant in that it had several teachable moments for the Lady Raiders to benefit from, including learning how her players responded after building up leads and rallying after trailing.
“It was very important,” Avelar-Guerra said. “Now we’re getting ready to go into the playoffs. The girls need to have a compass for the way they play.”
The Lady Raiders’ coach cited improved communication and defense for the team’s hot start during the first two games, and its ability to move on and bounce back after the third game. She also noted that the ball was being distributed evenly, as players like Alondra Garza, Kimberly Chavez and Alondra Guzman also were involved in Rivera’s attack.
Rivera rode the hot hand of Garza during the second game after allowing Harlingen High to climb back from an 18-14 edge.
With the match tied at 23, the serve from Harlingen High’s Elena Auguinaga went out of bounds to tie it at 24, and the Lady Raiders scored the next two points to take the second game 26-24.
The Lady Cardinals responded with a decisive third-set victory as Juli Bryant recorded three key kills to preserve a three-point lead, including a block that widened the Harlingen High lead to 21-15.
Avelar-Guerra praised Bryant’s play and said she felt Harlingen High had improved from the last time the teams met Oct. 8
“They blocked really well, and they were not letting the ball drop,” Avelar-Guerra said. “They picked up a lot of balls. (Bryant) really stepped it up. She did a good job blocking, and she started hitting the ball really well.”
Neither team led by more than four points during a back-and-forth fourth game. Bryant tried to will her team to victory by giving the Lady Cardinals tying and go-ahead kills down the stretch, Harlingen High’s 18th and 19th points.
But ultimately, Ibarra delivered three of the last five crucial points for the Lady Raiders, including a kill to seal the match at 25-21.
“We were taught by our coach that you can do anything, and you have to push through every single point,” Ibarra said. “Everybody works hard, and everybody’s come along way. We’re all growing every single game.”
Pending the settlement of Rivera and South’s playoff seeding, the Lady Raiders will await a bi-district matchup with either Edinburg North or Edinburg High, the respective second and third seeds in District 31-6A.
Harlingen High and Hanna also have to resort to either a coin toss or a play-in match to determine who will face top seed Edinburg Vela, the 31-6A champion.