Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Tucumcari High School volleyball team ended up on the wrong end of a five-set, non-district loss Saturday at Clayton.
The Yellowjackets prevailed 12-25, 25-19, 13-25, 25-22, 15-11 over the Lady Rattlers (12-5).
“We played really hard, and the team showed great hustle on every play,” Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez said. “Clayton had a couple of good/tall blockers that came up with big plays at key points in the game.”
Benavidez praised back-row players Alexus Lafferty, Alexis Ramirez and Haisley Huffman for a number of hustle saves.
Cambree Benavidez, an eighth-grader, led the Lady Rattlers with 11 kills. Her sophomore sister Caylee Benavidez and Huffman each made 10 kills, with Caylee “doing a great job running the offense” as setter.
Tucumcari’s coach also praised Kylie’Ann Rincones, who totaled 26 serve attempts and no errors.
“She’s an amazing player and a hard worker, and it shows every time she steps up to the line to serve,” she said.
Though Clayton’s 6-7 record may look mediocre, five of its losses have come against state-ranked Roy-Mosquero or Logan. Four losses were five-set matches.
Tucumcari opens its district schedule at home about 4 p.m. Saturday against Ruidoso (2-9). It will be the Lady Rattlers’ annual Senior Night and Think Pink match, where breast-cancer survivors will be honored and the players wear pink-accented shirts.
Logan 3, Fort Sumner-House 2
Logan 3, Grady 0
The Lady Longhorns notched a key district victory Saturday on the road against Fort Sumner-House.
Logan prevailed by 26-24, 18-25, 25-22, 3-25, 16-14 score a during the marathon.
Logan improved to 10-5 overall and 4-0 in District 6.
“We honestly didn’t play as well as we have been,” Logan coach Glynna Strand said. “Passing wasn’t as good.”
Strand also said the shoulder of top hitter Natalie Bongers is sore again. A sore shoulder sidelined her during matches early in the season.
The lopsided score during the fourth set was not a typo. Strand said her team suffered “a letdown on all levels” during the set. She also said her libero, Hailee Robertson, also suffered an asthma attack during the set and had to be benched for a time.
The Vixens fell to 7-7, 3-1.
The Lady Longhorns also prevailed over visiting Grady by a 25-17, 25-17, 25-23 score on Thursday.
Grady fell to 8-7, 0-3.
Logan faces a key week in its district schedule against Fort Sumner-House on Thursday and No. 1-ranked Melrose on Saturday, with both matches at home.
Fort Sumner-House 3, San Jon 0
The Vixens had little trouble with the visiting Lady Coyotes during a 25-13, 25-13, 25-8 district victory on Thursday.
San Jon fell to 2-11, 0-2.
Fort Sumner, after a slow start, won its fourth straight.