Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari’s volleyball team had an easier time with Raton on Thursday than during its last non-district matchup, winning 26-24, 25-21, 25-17 on the Tigers’ home court.
The Lady Rattlers (6-3), ranked fourth in Class 3A by MaxPreps.com, fell behind in the first set 23-21 but rallied by scoring five of the next six points to pull out the victory.
Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez said her team committed seven serving errors during the set, “making it a closer set than it should’ve been.”
That comeback set the tone for the rest of the match. Tucumcari took sizable leads during the next two sets.
The Lady Rattlers’ victory spoiled the Tigers’ Homecoming match.
During their last matchup at the Tucumcari Invitational tournament on Sept. 2, the Lady Rattlers barely prevailed during a hard-fought, five-set match in the semifinals.
Benavidez explained how her team had an easier time with the Tigers last week.
“We changed our defense and covered the floor better and had much better passing, which helped our setters to get balls to our hitters more effectively,” she said.
Cambree Benavidez led Tucumcari with nine kills. Haisley Huffman added eight kills and 17 digs, and Caylee Benavidez totaled seven kills, two aces, 17 assists and 17 digs. Harley McKinney also totaled 17 assists.
“Cambree had some very strong hits and is becoming very consistent,” her mother and coach said. “Haisley also had some great hits down the line.”
Raton fell to 3-3.
Texico 3, Logan 2
Logan suffered its second loss of the season Thursday during a five-set battle against perennial Class 2A contender Texico.
The Wolverines prevailed 14-25, 25-15, 25-13, 21-25, 15-10 against the host Lady Longhorns.
Texico surged to a commanding 11-3 lead in the fifth and deciding set.
“The girls played with a lot of fortitude and stayed right with the No. 1 team for 2A,” Logan coach Glynna Strand said. “I was proud of them.”
Logan, ranked second in Class 1A by MaxPreps.com, fell to 7-2 overall.
Texico improved to 5-1, with its only loss to defending Class 3A champion St. Michael’s.
Roy-Mosquero 3, San Jon 1
The Lady Pirates defeated the Lady Coyotes for a second time this season with a 25-8, 20-25, 25-9, 25-17 win Thursday at Mosquero.
Addie Lafferty notched a team-high six kills for San Jon, and teammate Sarah Archuleta added five kills.
San Jon coach Bobby Kandel said his team had a hard time with the Lady Pirates’ size advantage.
“We are short on blockers, and that’s where they got us,” he said. “We had pretty decent defense otherwise. They just could get up and over that block and attack the hole.”
San Jon also was hurt by 13 serving errors.
Roy-Mosquero, which also beat San Jon in four sets on Aug. 19, improved to 8-2 overall.
Grady 3, San Jon 0
Grady won its fifth match in a row with a three-set district victory over host San Jon on Saturday.
Grady improved to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in district play.
San Jon fell to 6-4, 1-1.