EDINBURG — After the first two sets of Tuesday night’s District 31-6A between city rivals and unbeatens Edinburg High and Edinburg Vela, a sweep was what everyone in the Vela gym probably was thinking.
The thought never crossed the minds of the homestanding SaberCats. If it did, it didn’t show.
Despite being dominated through the first two sets, Vela clawed and roared its way back for an intense 14-25, 13-25, 25-19, 25-22, 15-11 victory behind a host of hitters who finally found their swing, a defense that sprawled all over the court and a freshman setter who was seemingly unnerved by the pressure of the moment.
In other words, Edinburg Vela (4-0 in district) grew up on the volleyball court in a little more than two hours, going from a team that didn’t belong to one that now will play for sole possession of first place — and be the final unbeaten team when it faces PSJA High (3-0 in district) on Saturday.
“I told the girls we can either quit and go home or battle back,” Vela head coach Araceli Ortega said. “I told them it wasn’t going to be any easier no matter what the second time we play them at Edinburg High.”
Fey Vasquez led the SaberCats with 15 kills and five blocks — most of those stats after Edinburg High’s Jazmin Cuellar was a human wrecking ball through two sets, killing and blocking every ball she could get her hands on.
The senior Bobcats hitter dominated, connecting with setter Hailey Vega, starting in the first set when the game was tied at 8. Cuellar ended the night 27 kills and a stunning 15 blocks.
During the final three sets, however, Cuellar wasn’t as effective, partially because the Bobcats were on their heels more. During the first two sets they were the aggressors, after that, however, the momentum shifted — and the SaberCats tweaked their blocking scheme. The combination was too much for the Bobcats (3-1) to overcome.
“I think we were in the back seat the first two sets and finally climbed into the front seat,” Ortega said. “We have a lot of good hitters. If we can get things going and get the momentum going and load our guns and used them, we are a team to reckon with.
“And that’s a good thing.”
Vela showed an array of hitters during the monumental comeback. A team that started season looking more defensively oriented blossomed in the final three sets offensively. Dayanne Ramos and Samantha Villalobos added 10 kills apiece and Emily Gonzalez collected nine while Danika Verdooren had six kills. Defensively the trio of Vasquez, Villalobos and Verdooren also combined for 11 blocks, all coming in the final three sets.
“Our energy changed,” Vazquez said. “We knew where she (Cuellar) would go. Sometimes she still got to us. Offensively, we were tipping and got some points but in the end we just kept swinging.”
Freshman setter Abby Zamora was unflappable in the SaberCats 5-1 scheme, placing her as the only setter in the rotation. She had 19 service points and 47 assists.
“(Abby) has helped us tremendously. As a freshman, she has helped us pull through,” Ortega aid. “Abby is a very steady kid and we are starting to see it more and more how she keeps her composure. She has an error here or there but she’s always trying to make up for that and she gives us her best. We’re good with that. She’s sound defensively, she can hit when she’s in the front row — she’s very versatile.