Logan claims win in Tucumcari invite

Redemption and a tournament championship are two perks the Logan Lady Longhorns earned Saturday during the Lady Rattlers' volleyball tournament a the Snake Pit.

The Lady Longhorns' 3-2 championship win over the Santa Fe Waldorf Lady Wolves was hard fought and will give the girls confidence as the season progresses, said Robert Young, Lady Longhorns head coach.

"You can see the improvement we have made from last year," said Kylee Foote, Lady Longhorn outside hitter.

Foote said against the Lady Wolves, the team knew it was going to have to step up their floor defense against Rose Moon, Santa Fe outside hitter. She said the team recalled Moon's ability to earn a kill point from last year's tournament.

"She brings some power when she hits," Foote said.

The Lady Longhorns lost the first match but took the second and third sets. However, the Lady Wolves rallied in the fourth set to over come a 20-17 deficit to win 25-23.

The Lady Longhorns jumped out early in the final set for a commanding 15-4 win over the Lady Wolves.

"The girls have improved their passing from the back row that allows them to set up the offense," Young said.

To advance to the championship game, the Lady Longhorns had to face a familiar foe, one who just a week earlier swept them in their home tournament championship.

The Floyd Lady Broncos tried to earn a second tournament victory over Logan but fell short in five sets.

"We had a chip on our shoulders, but we were not going to let them get into our head," Foote said.

The team knew they could not afford to get down if a mistake was made against Floyd, said Kippi Webb, Logan middle hitter.

"If one player let's their spirit get down the entire team is brought down," Webb said. "We have to believe in each other, play as a team and never quit on ourselves or each other."

The San Jon Lady Coyotes earned the consolation championship Saturday at the Snake Pit with a 3-1 victory over the Jal Lady Panthers.

"This tournament gave the girls a great opportunity to compete against some high caliber teams," said Jaree Elliott, San Jon head coach.

Elliott said the team showed a lot of growth since start of the tournament's pool play. She said the team had a chance to play against teams at their level, while also having to play up to the level of other teams.

"This tournament has built confidence for the Lady Coyotes," Elliott said.

The Lady Rattlers did not repeat a home tournament win, but they gained a lot of experience from the tournament, said Dana Benavidez, Tucumcari head coach.

Benavidez said the team's communication on the floor improved throughout the tournament. She said the team had the benefit of competing against a variety of teams.

"Each team brings something new for the girls to learn," Benavidez said. "Overall this tournament helped to bring the team closer together."