FREDDY GONZALEZ | Valley Morning Star
LA FERIA — If La Feria head volleyball coach Rebea Fraga could describe her team in one word it would have to be — resilient.
Yes, the Lionettes might be 11-0 and sit atop the District 32-4A standings this season, but it has not been easy.
The team has been pushed and challenged every step of the way. In fact, the Lionettes have had plenty of sets go beyond the traditional 25 points and have had a few sets trickle into the 30- to 31-point range.
“We’ve had some sets where everything is working and everything is clicking, and then there are other sets where we have definitely been challenged,” said Fraga. “The district is very competitive and the records don’t necessarily reflect that.
“It’s been so competitive between the team that is in first place right now and the team that is in last place right now.”
This season, the unblemished Lionettes have been guided by an experienced side that returns eight players from last year’s squad. However, of those eight players only three were starters.
“We were district champions last year and I have a lot of returners on the team this year,” said Fraga. “One of the team’s goals this season was to repeat as district champions, but this time to do it by going undefeated.”
One player that has helped the team get off to a hot start this season has been senior Myah Salas. For the past two seasons Salas has consistently been a top performer for Lionettes.
“One reason to our good start is due to our intensity and just keeping our heads up high, and just playing through the lowest of lows,” said Salas. “We have just been able to communicate well with each other and we just started talking like ‘let’s fix this here’ and ‘let’s practice on this day.’”
The Lionettes sit on top of their league followed by Raymondville (9-2), Port Isabel (6-5), Zapata (5-6), Rio Hondo (4-7), Progreso (3-8), Hidalgo (3-8) and Grulla (3-8).