By ROY HESS | The Brownsville Herald
They made it to November, and that’s quite a feat for a volleyball team in the UIL state playoffs.
After capturing bi-district victories earlier this week, the area round of the postseason has continued for four Brownsville-area teams.
They are Los Fresnos, Hanna and Rivera in Class 6A, and Brownsville Veterans Memorial in Class 5A.
Los Fresnos, the District 32-6A champion, was swept by District 29-6A runner-up Laredo United , 25-20, 25-17, 25-14, in an area match at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln on Thursday.
In their bi-district match Tuesday, the Lady Falcons defeated Weslaco High 23-25, 25-14, 25-12, 25-7. United won its bi-district match against McAllen Rowe 25-16, 25-12, 25-17.
Rivera, Hanna and Brownsville Veterans all play today.
Rivera, which tied for third place in 32-6A, goes against District 30-6A champion McAllen Memorial at 6:30 p.m. at San Benito, while 32-6A runner-up Hanna faces District 29-6A champion Laredo Alexander at 6:30 p.m. at Roma. District 32-5A runner-up Brownsville Veterans goes to Gregory-Portland to play the District 29-5A champion Lady Wildcats at 2 p.m.
In 6A bi-district matches Monday and Tuesday, Rivera downed Edinburg North 27-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-20, while Hanna prevailed against Edinburg Vela 25-27, 25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 15-4. In 5A, Brownsville Veterans triumphed against Sharyland Pioneer 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 27-25.
Kenya Ibarra, a freshman middle blocker, led Rivera with 23 kills against the Lady Cougars.
“I was determined (with my hitting),” Ibarra said. “I needed to do all I could to help us win. Now we’re in the second round. We moved on and that’s what we wanted to do.
Added teammate Kourtney Shears, a senior outside hitter/setter who had 17 kills, 28 digs and 20 assists in bi-district, “Yes, we’ve had some struggles, and this win (against Edinburg North) shows that we are capable of doing better, and we want to do more.”
Rivera coach Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said her team’s victory in bi-district was very beneficial.
“I think it’s a win that really builds our confidence,” she said. “It shows our girls that they can do it if they work together and not give up. It shows anything’s possible as long as they keep playing hard. It shows them that they have what it takes.”
Another team battling to victory in a close, highly contested bi-district match was Brownsville Veterans.
“I’m just really proud of us as a team and the way that we’ve come together,” said Pamela Sanchez, a senior outside hitter/defensive player for the Lady Chargers. “When we started off (the season), it was a new team and we didn’t know each other. Now we’re playing (well) together.”
The teams winning area-round matches advance to next week’s regional quarterfinals.