FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
LA FERIA — With a share of the district title at stake, the La Feria Lionettes dug deep and pulled out a thrilling five-game victory at home against rivals Zapata, winning 25-9, 25-23, 20-25, 15-25, 15-8 on Saturday afternoon.
The victory assures the Lionettes at least a share of the District 32-4A title. A win in their regular-season finale on Tuesday at Port Isabel, or a Zapata loss would give them the outright championship.
“We had our ups and downs, but when it mattered most we were able to come together, settle down and be more consistent,” said Lionettes head coach Reba Fraga.
“It feels great. There were moments where I feel we should have won out but it was very completive and very close, fortunately we were able to come out on top this time.”
With their backs against the wall and down two games to zero, the Lady Hawks (22-8, 11-2) found a way to respond.
In the third set, Zapata quickly took a 3-0 lead and turned it into a 9-2 advantage to finish the game with a dominating 25-20 performance.
The momentum had begun to shift and the Lady Hawks capitalized on it, taking game four 25-15 and leveling the match at two games a piece.
“You could tell the momentum had shifted after the third set, but we were able to hold them down,” said Fraga. “I just told them it was down to this, it for the district championship.”
For the Lionettes (27-11, 12-1), the remainder of the match became one to remember. Meanwhile, it became a match to forget for the Lady Hawks.
“In the second set we ended the game on an 18-2 run and I knew we had the upper hand going forward,” said Zapata coach Mario Benavidez. “And it carried us into the fourth.”
Belisa Vela led the Lionettes with 21 kills and 24 digs, Illiana Ayala had 13 kills, 19 digs, and three blocks, Connie Ceballos 6 kills, 39 assists, with 21 digs.
The Lady Hawks rode a wave of momentum, got close, but fell short at the end.
“Cassy Garcia, Tere Villareal, Alex Garcia, Isela Gonzalez, and the entire back row had a great game,” said coach Benavidez.
“This is when you find out what you’re made of when the game gets hard that when you know what type of champion you really are, and the La Feria girls played amazing and wanted it more at the end.”