By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
Kenya Ibarra had 12 kills, Alondra Guzman finished with eight and the Rivera Lady Raiders completed a season sweep of Hanna with a three-set victory over the visitors 25-18, 25-19, 25-17 on Saturday at Rivera.
“The girls did a good job,” Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said. “Their hitting was good, and they were communicating. They played well.”
Rivera improved its record in District 32-6A play to 5-1 with the win. Hanna fell to 0-5 in district.
Ibarra and Guzman each had five kills during the first game, with Guzman recording a key block to give the Lady Raiders a three-point advantage after leading by six.
Hanna middle blocker Odalys Gonzalez (eight kills) helped keep the second game close in the early stages, and the Lady Eagles briefly led 8-7 before Ibarra and Laisha Izaguirre responded with an equalizer kill and a block that put Rivera back in front.
Avelar-Guerra said her girls played good defense against Gonzalez, a player who has been widely acclaimed by opposing coaches as one of the hardest hitters in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Lady Raiders’ coach added that the team missed Izaguirre’s net-front presence — a key component of their defense — during their first meeting with Hanna on Sept. 21 because she was playing in a club tournament in Washington.
“Laisha blocked very well,” Avelar-Guerra said. “Our blocking was good, and that helps a lot. Only a couple got away from her. … I was really glad she was here for this one, she really did a good job today.”
After Guzman and Christina Garza helped build a 17-12 advantage for Rivera, Hanna answered with a run by Gonzalez, Amanda Rivera and Camille Atkinson that brought the Lady Eagles within two points at 21-19.
“(Garza and Guzman) hit well, they moved the ball around,” Avelar-Guerra said. “They’re not just aggressive but also smart, which really helps us because it makes it harder for the defense to know what to do.”
Then Rivera libero Esmeralda Fuentes delivered two crucial service aces, including one that clinched the game for the Lady Raiders to give them a 2-0 lead in the match.
While Hanna scored the first point of the third game and battled to an 8-8 deadlock, Rivera again pulled away once it reached double digits.
Ibarra tallied three straight points during the third game, and so did the rotating tandem of Alondra Garza and Fuentes. Guzman added a kill to open up an 11-8 lead, and Garza made the score 13-9 with a kill.
Fuentes recorded another ace to put the Lady Raiders up 21-15, and Christina Garza followed up another point from Guzman by closing out the sweep with three consecutive kills.
Libero Rianna Trevino posted 10 kills, and Rebekah Schlatter had seven kills for Hanna.
Next up for second-place Rivera is an opportunity to pull even with Los Fresnos, the district leader, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Avelar-Guerra said her team is in a good position at the halfway mark of the district slate, but she cautioned her team against overconfidence.
“It looks good for us,” Avelar-Guerra said. “The girls are playing strong. … But I know and they know that every team in our district is tough. The first round was great but it’s over, and we know that we’ve got to keep working hard. Anyone can step up because there’s that much talent in this district.”
Hanna is scheduled to play host to Harlingen High at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.