By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
The Brownsville Rivera Lady Raiders overcame all odds to put together an undefeated regular season, clinch the District 32-6A title and win a bi-district game.
But they faced a tough draw in their Class 6A Region IV area-round match Tuesday, having to battle Northside Harlan (17-3, 14-2) and its deep arsenal of heavy hitters at Corpus Christi Carroll.
The Lady Raiders’ relentless back row defense kept rallies alive and challenged Harlan’s attackers. They put up a fight, but the season came to an end for Rivera (13-1, 7-0) as the Lady Hawks earned the sweep, 25-18, 25-18, 25-15.
“I am really proud of the way they played. They played hard and played as a team,” Rivera coach Mary Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said. “This was a strange year, and they really pulled through. I was afraid when we started that they would be off. But they came in ready to play, and they wanted this season. I’m really, really proud of them for the way they came together.”
The energy in the gym was palpable as the teams exchanged punches during the opening set. Harlan had the height advantage, and their powerful hitters came out guns blazing looking to take control. Rivera’s defense, led by sophomore libero Richelle Guerra and junior defensive specialist Ashlyn Tapia, squared up the attackers and made impressive digs.
Harlan tried to tip to open spots since the back row defenders weren’t budging, but the Lady Raiders covered their blockers and showed their all-out mentality for pancake digs to maintain a two-point difference. The Lady Hawks’ big block was the difference maker that opened up a 19-13 lead, and the volume of arms on the roster helped Harlan take Set 1, 25-18.
Junior Kenya Ibarra, senior outside hitter Christina Garza and senior middle blocker Laisha Izaguirre led the Lady Raiders’ offense. Rivera held a slim lead early in the second set, but consecutive blocks from Harlan junior middle blockers Dahlia De Los Santos and Jade Williams sparked a momentum swing that put the Lady Hawks on top.
Rivera’s hitting started to struggle as Harlan expanded its lead during the second set. The Lady Raiders tried to swing around the plethora of big bodies defending every attack, resulting in hits going long that aided Harlan to go up 17-8.
The Lady Raiders didn’t let the deficit stop them. Izaguirre continued swinging hard and Ibarra tallied consecutive points behind a block and a kill to lead a Rivera scoring run that closed the gap to 20-15. Ibarra, an every rotation player, did her part in the back row and at the service line, recording digs and an ace to cut Harlan’s lead to four.
“It’s tough going against a team that’s so big, but they really hung with them,” Avelar-Guerra said. “I’m so proud of them because they didn’t roll over, they didn’t get intimidated, they just played tough. They almost had it. They could’ve had it, it was close. But that’s just how it is in playoffs.”
Harlan wasn’t fazed by the scoring run, and senior outside hitter Kiana Fallaha kept pounding away to carry the Lady Hawks to a 25-18 second-set win. Senior libero Leilani Moore led Harlan’s defense and made it hard for the Lady Raiders to find the floor.
The Lady Hawks turned it up a notch during the final set. Rivera’s back row was the better unit for most of the match, but Harlan’s cumulative defense was the star in the third. The Lady Hawks jumped out to a 6-0 lead as their block pressured Rivera’s hitters, and as the attack became somewhat predictable down the stretch, Harlan’s back row thrived. De Los Santos, Fallaha, Williams and senior Mackenzie Vernon dominated on the net and got up for rocket kills all night to help Harlan advance.
“We tried our best and I know we all played hard, especially the seniors. We did what we could, and I’m proud of my team,” Izaguirre said. “It was great to be able to spend my last year like this, working hard together and getting that championship and coming this far. It was a great run.”
Rivera’s players and staff were emotional after the loss, but Avelar-Guerra said something to be happy about is the talent returning next season. Starters and four-year letterwinners Garza and Izaguirre, who Avelar-Guerra praised for their work ethic, are two of just three seniors graduating. Ibarra, Guerra and junior setter Clarissa Olivares will be at the core of the program as the Lady Raiders aim to keep building off this stellar season.
“It means everything to me that we even got the privilege to play. I’ve been so grateful, and I have such an amazing team,” Garza said. “Even though we’ve been very distant lately, I’ve gotten closer to my teammates this past year. We’ve had such a strong bond that it’s kind of hard to detach. I hope that we left (a legacy of) courage and determination to keep pushing forward.”