BY NATE KOTISSO | THE MONITOR
McALLEN — Both McAllen Memorial and McAllen High fans made sure their voices were heard inside McHi’s packed gymnasium on Saturday afternoon, but the players on the hardwood had to play like they weren’t even there.
Size and experience would be the scarcest commodities in this emotionally charged atmosphere, and McHi (24-2, 2-0) had plenty of both. The Bulldogs swept the Mustangs 25-16, 25-22, 25-22.
“I think in games with big crowds and this much emotion, it’s really important to know how to stay calm and controlled,” McHi senior setter Carter Helmcamp said. “Having older girls on the team sets the tone practicing for this game and going into the game. That really helped us out.”
The crowd noise forced the Bulldogs to get creative with their mode of communication.
“It was crazy. We couldn’t really hear each other well on the court,” McHi senior outside hitter Victoria Rogers said. “We all decided that we were going to look at each other when we were going to communicate in a way we could understand. We just mentally blocked everything out and focused on the court. Everyone focused on doing their job. In the end, we did really well.”
The Mustangs (20-6, 2-1) kept the first game close but never posed a serious threat until the second. After overcoming a 10-6 deficit in the second, Memorial controlled much of how the game played out. Whenever the Bulldogs forced a tie, the Mustangs would gallop back to take a lead. Coming out of a McHi timeout down 22-21, the Bulldogs scored the last four points to snatch the game and go up 2-0.
“Volleyball’s a game of momentum,” McAllen Memorial coach Lorena Lopez said. “You can have it one second and then it’s gone the next. … I’d have to go back and look at the film to see what happened in Game 2. All it takes is one good server, one big hit or a couple big blocks to take us out of our rhythm.
“From what I saw, we’d fight and then let the mental aspect of the environment take over. Then we’d fight again and the mental aspect take over again. It’s about us being consistent.”
There was a nervous moment for McHi toward the end of the third game. With the Bulldogs leading 23-20, sophomore middle blocker Lexi Gonzalez slipped on a wet spot and fell to the court, holding her right hamstring. Gonzalez had to be helped off the floor.
“I went down really fast because I pulled it,” Gonzalez said. “I was in a little bit of shock.”
Following a quick visit with the trainer, Gonzalez hopped back up and wanted to check herself back in to the match.
“I wanted to help my team,” Gonzalez said. “I wanted to be out there when we’d hit 25 points.”
McHi coach Paula Dodge obliged, allowing the sophomore to finish the match.
“We could have just left Lexi out because (senior middle blocker) Monica (Ochoa) is in another one of our rotations, but she was ready to come back in. She looked fine playing in those last two points,” Dodge said. “Lexi’s a great kid. She works hard every day at getting better for herself and her teammates. She wants everything for the team.”