GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — During every timeout Tuesday, Sharyland High’s players and coaches reminded each other of the night’s mantra: “For Aileen.”
Those two words were written on white bands and taped around each player’s wrist, a reminder to play for their teammate, Aileen Salinas, who remains hospitalized after suffering a serious head injury during a car accident over the weekend.
“Playing for her, and knowing that she’s worked hard for this win, also, that helped us out to continue to fight,” senior Paige Jones said.
The Lady Rattlers needed all the fight they could muster Tuesday, battling back from a slow start en route to a 25-23, 18-25, 25-20, 30-28 win against Donna High on Tuesday at Sharyland High.
Senior Maddie Garza said the players heard the news of Salinas’ accident on Sunday, and the majority of the team went to visit her in the hospital that day.
Typically, a small group of Sharyland players will tape a bible verse to their wrist before matches. But on Tuesday, the entire squad, including coach Raul Castillo, wore the wristband to keep Salinas in the team’s thoughts.
Castillo said Salinas is conscious and in good spirits, but her hospital stay is expected to continue for some time.
“We wanted to play this game for her so maybe, if she’s better and she’s out, she could come,” Garza said. “We know she’s here in spirit, and she helped us today, for sure.”
After what Castillo called cold, flat play during the first and second sets, the Rattlers turned the match by making a switch at setter.
Jones and Garza had become the team’s two primary setters as the year had progressed, but on Tuesday the Rattlers went back to Melanie Lazos, a sophomore who had been a major factor at the position for most of the season.
The move allowed Garza to take on more of a passing role in the back row.
“We got into the second set, and we just couldn’t pass,” Castillo said. “Putting Maddie back there, she’s a great passer. She defends well. Gives us another opportunity for an attack out of the back row. It gives us options, and it worked in our favor.”
With the new lineup, Sharyland High won the third and fourth sets to seal the team’s first playoff win since 2012.
Jones finished with 11 kills, 13 assists, and three aces, while Garza had 9 kills and eight assists. Lazos provided 10 assists off the bench.
“It’s so amazing,” Garza said of the win. “This is awesome, to be going back to the second round this year. I’m so happy and so proud of my team.”
Sharyland High next plays Tuloso-Midway at 2 p.m. Saturday in Falfurrias. The loss ends Donna High’s season in the bi-district round for the second consecutive year.
Yvette Tamez, a senior, led the Bravettes with 22 kills.
“One of her goals was to lead the team tonight,” Donna High coach Cindy Viesca said. “Stay positive. Be aggressive offensively. She’s taking it kind of hard, but she had a great four years in her career.”
Junior Melanie Arneas had 18 kills and six digs for Donna, while sophomore Adrianna Martinez had 31 assists.
Senior Kara Yanez led the team with 21 digs.
“(I told the team) keep their heads up,” Viesca said. “They played a very good team, and they were that close to going on to the next level.”