Texico setter Fallon Scanlan reaches back for a ball to set senior middle blocker Katlin Luscombe in the third game of Tuesday’s match in Texico. Luscombe had a team-high 10 kills in Texico’s three-set victory.

Texico junior outside hitter Morgan Pinnell goes up for a pass as Lubbock Christian junior Bailey Scarborough defends in the third game of Tuesday’s season-opening match in Texico. The Lady Wolverines defeated the Lady Eagles in three games.

TEXICO — The Texico Lady Wolverines picked up where they left off last season, with deficits and rallies to seal a victory.

However, the stakes and deficits weren’t nearly as large Monday as Texico took a 26-24, 25-17, 25-22 victory over Lubbock Christian, a difficult opponent for a season opener despite the sweep.

“That was a good volleyball club,” second-year Texico coach Kristen Scanlan said. “They didn’t have dynamic hitters (like in previous years), but they do enough and they play smart. They kept hitting it to our one weak spot and we didn’t adjust well.”

Texico (1-0) had to fight off a young Lady Eagles squad throughout, and fell behind 10-2 in the third game. The Lady Wolverines eventually rallied back to tie the score 12-12, and Victoria Richards served two aces during a 3-0 run to tie it again at 17.

Junior setter Fallon Scanlan set up three teammates for four of Texico’s final five points to preserve the sweep.

“It was very challenging,” said Fallon Scanlan, who recorded 57 assists on the night. “We were fortunate that we got the win in three.”

Lubbock Christian coach Adam Williams wasn’t so sure it was luck.

“It’s a great team, (with) a lot of talent,” Williams said. “They’re deep and they play well,.

“In the second game, they relied on experience. They got us behind at the start.

“In the third game, they got down and their experience got them back in.”

It does go back to experience. Coach Scanlan noted most of the roster was on the 2008 squad that rallied from a two-game deficit to edge Navajo Prep for a Class 2A title repeat.

“I think these girls are competitors,” Scanlan said. “Even when they don’t have their ‘A’ game, they’re such competitors they find a way to claw back into it.”

But Fallon Scanlan said Navajo Prep was the furthest thing from her mind. The focus was the Lady Eagles (7-2), and Friday it will be Capitan when Texico travels.

“It’s a new season, it’s a fresh start,” said Fallon Scanlan, who also led Texico with 11 digs. “We’ve got the same goal of a state title, but we’ve got to start off right.”

Katlin Luscombe led Texico with 10 kills, while Jaylyn Cooper added six and Victoria Richards five.