RGVSPORTS.COM
A year after the East team swept the Rio Grande Valley Volleyball High School All-Star event, the West team came away with wins in two of three matches Sunday at Sharyland Pioneer.
Despite a strong showing by McAllen Rowe’s Mayda Garcia, the West 6A struggled to hang on to its opening-set lead, losing to the 6A East squad 23-25, 29-27, 25-17, 25-19.
In 5A, Mission Veterans Memorial’s Gabby Lerma, The Monitor’s All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year, led a West sweep (25-19, 25-12, 27-25) as Sharyland High’s Paige Jones and Maddie Garza and Sharyland Pioneer’s Elise Lopez came up big, as well.
In fact, it was Lopez’s jump serves that helped the team rally from a 14-4 deficit in Game 3, before closing out the match with a couple of Lopez points down the stretch.
“The girls did a good job,” West 5A coach Araceli Ortega said. “I know at the beginning we were trying to put it together. It’s different. We’ve had a couple of practices, and they were trying to get used to each other. I think after a while, they got warmed up and loosen up, and I thought it helped them be successful.
“It was nice to see our district come together that way because I know it’s a tough district, and we’re opponents, but it was really nice to see. It was enjoyable to watch everyone bond.”
Mission Juan Diego’s Jazmine Long lead the Sub-4A West team to a 21-25, 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 15-7 win.
“I think she was the best player on the floor,” said Mission Juan Diego coach Vic Garza, who led the Sub-4A West team on Sunday. “She was quick to the ball. Her explosiveness was there. Her placement with the ball, too, which was a surprise because we haven’t practiced much lately.
“Overall, she gave us the stability on the floor from every angle and every position — back row, front row. Her knowledge and her volleyball savvy, and placing the ball in open areas, helped us.”