BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
A season after being named one of three setters of the year in District 32-5A, Mercedes’ Kristen Gutierrez has taken on a leadership role for the Lady Tigers.
“She really motivates them,” coach Judy Gutierrez said. “She always tries to get them pumped up before the game. She’s always talking to them on the court.”
Coach Gutierrez said Kristen has stood out with her sets, serves and digs — the three things that made her a standout last year. Now in her third year as a varsity starter, she’s only gotten better in each area.
Junior outside hitter Caitlyn Gutierrez and sophomore middle blocker Roselyn Rodriguez have also been standouts for Mercedes.
The Lady Tigers also boast two other seniors in their rotation: libero Alexa Pena and outside hitter Victoria Anciso, who has become an integral part of the team’s offense after missing all of last season due to a torn ACL.
Despite not having any players taller than 5-foot-8, Mercedes has found some early success on the strength of its defense, jumping out to a 10-8 record.
“We’re not a very tall team, but we’re athletic,” coach Gutierrez said. “We can dig the ball very well.”
DEFENSIVE STRIDES
When Sarah Salinas joined the La Joya High varsity team as a sophomore last season, coach Carlos Salinas said she came in raw.
Now, she’s one of the integral pieces on an improving defense for the Coyotes.
“We worked with her, and this year she’s been showing a lot more improvement from last year,” coach Salinas said. “She’s taken the role of a leader out there on the court.”
In addition to becoming more talkative with her teammates, the junior Salinas has improved as a passer. Coach Salinas said she’s become more crisp and more sound in starting the team’s offense.
The early part of the season has been something of a rollercoaster ride for La Joya, coach Salinas said. The mostly inexperienced team is 7-11 overall, and the majority of the positives have started on the defensive end.
“They’ve been doing a lot better since the beginning of the year,” coach Salinas said. “They were struggling a little bit, but we’ve been getting a little bit of a better rhythm.”
One of the biggest threats on La Joya’s attack has been a sophomore: Karina Casanova.
“She hits with a lot of power,” coach Salinas said. “She’s a little raw, but we’re working with her. We’ve been improving on her hits, on her swing. Her approach is getting better. She’s been getting some balls down with a lot of authority.”
STARTING OVER
Losing 12 players from last year’s varsity roster, the 2015 season is a rebuilding year for Roma and coach Angie Garcia.
After finishing last season 29-11 and 7-5 in District 31-5A, the Lady Gladiators are 8-12 so far in 2015 as the group continues to tinker with roles and try to find a rotation that works.
“It’s been a tough season,” Garcia said. “It’s a lot of trial and error, and a lot of different lineups and different rotations. We’re trying to get the right one.”
Garcia said the team’s three tournaments, most recently a trip to Laredo, have started to give her a clearer picture of what she’s working with.
The current roster has three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and a freshman, including one sophomore starter in Mariana Canales. Garcia sees her squad as a talented group that could potentially make a return trip to the playoffs once its players have varsity experience under their belts.
“It’ll be a rebuilding year for us, but we’re definitely trying to get into playoffs,” Garcia said. “We have a really tough district, and we know that. But that’s not going to keep us from working hard and trying to squeeze in there somehow.”