Lady Longhorns win again

Logan's volleyball team on Saturday captured its second tournament title in as many weeks - this time, defeating host Tucumcari in the championship match.

The Lady Longhorns overcame an opening-set loss to prevail 17-25, 25-13, 25-14, 25-19 in the finals of the eight-team Tucumcari Invitational. Logan (6-0) also won their Lady Longhorn Volleyball Tournament the previous weekend.

Kaylee Williams, the tournament's Most Valuable Player, made a team-high 13 kills and added four aces for Logan. Teammate Haylie Bidegain, voted to the all-tournament team, added 10 kills, four blocks and four aces.

Hailee Robertson and Bella Coronado also made the all-tourney team for Logan.

Tucumcari (5-2) suffered its only loss during its tournament to Logan. The Lady Longhorns also conquered the Lady Rattlers during the semifinals of the Logan tourney.

Tucumcari's Caylee Benavides, who totaled seven kills and a team-high four aces against Logan, was named to the all-tournament team, as were Haisley Huffman and Kirksey Smith. Cambree Benavidez led the Lady Rattlers with 10 kills against the Lady Longhorns.

An improved San Jon (5-3) won two of three matches and took home the consolation bracket title. The Lady Coyotes' only loss was to Tucumcari in the opening round. San Jon already has surpassed the number of victories (three) it recorded last season.

Grady defeated Raton in the third-place match.

In the championship match, Tucumcari spotted Logan a 6-0 lead in the opening set.

But the Lady Rattlers stormed back with four kills each from Caylee Benavidez and Kylie'Ann Rincones and three aces from Cambree Benavidez. Tucumcari's 8-1 scoring run turned a 10-13 deficit into an 18-14 lead.

"We kind of let up a little bit there," Logan coach Glynna Strand said. "Sometimes we revert back to unforced errors, and those kill us.

"I told them, '(Tucumcari is) coming after you hard. You got to step it up and find your rhythm. When you can find that rhythm, nobody can stop you.'"

Logan found its groove in the second and third sets, winning both easily. The Lady Longhorns also made a 6-0 run in the fourth set to turn a 16-14 deficit into a 20-16 lead.

"We missed way too many serves. You can't do that in tight matches," Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez said, though she acknowledged her team had only one practice before the tournament.

"Logan played really good," coach Benavidez added. "You have to give that to them. I thought we played great, fought through a lot of adversity. I was proud of us the way we played. Second place is something to be proud of."

During the Saturday semifinals, Logan knocked off Grady 25-19, 25-13, 25-17. Williams totaled 13 kills and five blocks, and Desta Rose added nine kills.

December Garza led Grady (2-3) with six kills.

In the opening round Friday, the Lady Longhorns downed defending tournament champion Santa Rosa in three sets. The Lady Lions ended the week 3-3 overall.

During the semifinals earlier Saturday, Tucumcari survived a challenge from Raton by a 25-14, 25-17, 21-25, 23-25, 15-13 score.

In the fifth and deciding set with it tied 13-13, Huffman made a kill and Caylee Benavidez executed a block on match point to secure the victory.

Cambree Benavidez led the Lady Rattlers with 13 kills. Huffman and July Lafferty each totaled 10 kills.

Raton's dominant hitter, Giana Marez, nearly rallied her team to victory, with a match-high 20 kills.

"We battled every single point, and their hitter (Marez) is really good," coach Benavidez said. "She's a fantastic hitter. But our girls did not give up, and that was super-impressive."

During the opening round of the tournament Friday, Tucumcari dispatched San Jon 25-11, 25-16, 25-23.

Kyla Lopez led the Lady Rattlers with seven kills, and Huffman and Caylee Benavidez each made six kills. Cambree Benavidez added eight aces.

For San Jon, Sarah Archuleta led the team with six kills.

"I'm impressed with how much heart and hustle they have," coach Benavidez said.

San Jon coach Bobby Kandel, in his first year, said his young team's performance impressed him against Tucumcari.

"I don't think anybody expects a team from the bottom of one pool to play the top seed of another pool that well," he said. "I was telling them, 'You've got to enjoy the learning. We're not going to be mad about your learning until the end of the season, when you should have learnt it all already.'

"We're building, and I think they're buying into it," he added.

In the consolation round, San Jon defeated Floyd 25-20, 18-25, 25-11, 25-12 behind Archuleta's 16 kills and Dakota Fisher's five aces.

In the consolation final, San Jon downed East Mountain in three sets.

The San Jon matchup was the Lady Rattlers' first since the unexpected death of freshman Javion Martinez on Aug. 26. Coach Benavidez said many of her players had heavy hearts.

"It's a trying time for Tucumcari youth," she said. "I was proud of them for coming together and playing to win."

A few days before the tournament, organizers announced the event would serve as a fundraiser for Javion's family. Coach Benavidez said after the tournament it netted over $3,100, with many customers not asking for change after their transactions.