MISSION — With an all-star cast of high-level players on both sides of the net Saturday at Sharyland High School, Leah Garcia played at her highest level of the season.
She was a match-changer.
The colorful 5-foot-10 junior was by far the most destructive she has been all season, performing with ruthless aggression and taking over at times — both offensively and defensively — to help lead McAllen Memorial to (30-9 overall) an entertaining and powerful 23-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 15-13 win over Sharyland High to keep their hopes alive for at least a share of the District 31-5A title.
There was no holding back in this match, from the opening play — Memorial’s Alicia Ziegler kill in the middle — to the final play — Memorial’s Amare Hernandez turn-off-the-lights kill. The electricity on the court didn’t stop for 2.5 hours.
The win improves the Mustangs to 11-2 in district, one game behind 12-1 Sharyland with five district matches remaining. The victory also snapped the Rattlers’ 29-match win streak. Sharyland was ranked No. 5 in the state in Class 5A by the Texas Girls Coaches Association at the beginning of the week, holding a 36-3 overall record going into Saturday’s match.
Memorial holds a one-game lead over Sharyland Pioneer (10-3) in district, and the teams will face each other at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at McAllen Memorial. McAllen Rowe is 9-4, and McHi is in currently in fifth at 8-5.
“This is the team I’m used to,” Memorial head coach Ashley Doffing said. “This is the team I know and how our offense can play.”
While Memorial big bombers Amare Hernandez and Madisyn Sosa attacked at every opportunity as usual, the improving play of middles Alicia Ziegler and Kaitlin Martin and a much better defensive effort than Tuesday’s five-set loss to McAllen High kept the Mustangs toe-to-toe with Sharyland’s plethora of big hitters and servers Kenisha Martinez, America Hernandez and Kassandra De La Garza.
Garcia, however, was the X factor — the game changer, a virtual knockout artist on this day.
“When she’s on, she can dominate,” Doffing said. “I’ve got a lot of girls that can dominate when they’re on. Leah was something special today, though.”
Garcia’s performance, however, probably wasn’t something high in the strategy department for Sharyland leading up to the game. Garcia even admitted it had been a while since she performed like she did Saturday, leading the Mustangs with 17 kills, five blocks and several other touches on attacks. She also proved to be a menace for Martinez, the Rattlers’ biggest bopper.
“I’ve waited such a long time to play like this,” said Garcia. “Everything I did, I saw in my mind and I just did it. It’s been a struggle. Nobody knows why. I feel in this game, though, that we all clicked and put all our gooses together.
“Coach said, ‘Let it all out. If you’re upset over the last game (loss to McHi).’ I let the anger out this game.”
Hernandez added 15 kills and an ace for Memorial, while Ziegler contributed 11 kills and a block. Madison Amaya had 25 assists and a pair of aces, and Gaby Torres added 23 assists. Libero Kassie Falcon had 18 digs.
Martinez led the Rattlers with 28 kills and four blocks. America Hernandez added 12 kills and five aces to add to her school record for aces, and Kassandra De La Garza contributed 10 kills and 24 assists.
Sharyland returns to action Tuesday at Valley View. They also have games left against McAllen Rowe, PSJA North, McHi and Pioneer.
Following Tuesday’s match against Pioneer, the Mustangs have Valley View, PSJA Memorial, McAllen Rowe and PSJA Southwest remaining on the schedule.