BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
DONNA — After Donna North won the second game to level the match, Edinburg Vela’s Jaida Muhammad started pumping up her teammates.
Muhammad believes that positivity — not just from her, but from the entire team —is one of the big reasons Vela could be in for a third straight trip to the playoffs.
On Tuesday, the Lady SaberCats showed some of what that mindset can produce, taking the third and fourth games convincingly in a 25-18, 24-26, 25-14, 25-15 win against the Lady Chiefs.
“All the girls are always positive,” Muhammad said. “They’re always trying to bring up the team, always trying to encourage each other. That’s one thing that we have that I think will get us far.”
Muhammad also led the Lady SaberCats with her play, smashing home 21 kills. Now a junior in her third year on varsity, Muhammad has transformed from a defensive specialist into an attacking force.
“We’re banking a lot on her pulling us through tough situations,” coach Araceli Ortega said. “She is a motivator. She is just the type of kid that is very hard to break mentally. She bleeds for the team. She’s just the kid that goes 100 percent all the time, and that’s the type of kid you want on the court. It’s like a disease that spreads through our team.”
Nicole Avelar had 18 kills and 3 blocks, Bianca Cortez had 6 blocks, Julissa Cuellar had 16 assists, and Mariely Rebollar had 11 assists.
Echoing Ortega, Avelar said a lot of the team’s success was owed to Muhammad’s positive attitude.
“That really helps us,” Avelar said. “In the second game, when we were down, she was really there to support us. She helped us get through the games.”
The win improves Vela to 26-8 on the season. Ortega said the SaberCats have to this point leaned on their five returning varsity players: Muhammad, Avelar, Rebollar, Cuellar and Nicole Castaneda.
With a total of nine juniors on the roster — a group that includes Muhammad, Avelar and Cuellar — the Lady SaberCats believe they have a stronger bond than they did last season.
Muhammad, Avelar and Ortega are all eyeing a trip to the playoffs.
“I feel like we have a solid team,” Avelar said. “I see a good season for us in the future.”
Donna North coach Diana Alaniz is hoping her team can put itself in position for a possible playoff rematch.
The Lady Chiefs have been aiming for a top-three finish in District 32-5A since the start of the year, and Tuesday’s game did nothing to dampen those hopes.
The Lady Chiefs were led by I’Dasha Sorrell (8 kills, 2 blocks and 3 aces), Evelyn De Leon (7 kills, 6 blocks) and Azucena Cruz (23 digs).
At 10-10, Donna North has already matched its win total from its first two seasons combined heading into the district opener Saturday against Brownsville Porter.
“Can’t complain with that, especially with where we were last year,” Alaniz said. “I’m disappointed that we lost, because we’ve been battling a lot of tough teams and hanging in there longer. Vela overall just had a lot of firepower for us, and the kids just kind of broke down mentally.”