Varsity Lady Lions wear down Lobos, win in five

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

Running on pure determination, the Varsity Lions chalked up a hard-fought win in district play on Friday night, taking down the Lehman Lady Lobos in five exciting games. The final game scores were 25-22, 25-13, 22-25, 13-25 and 15-7.

The Lady Lions started the evening evenly matched with the Lady Lobos, both teams tradi

ng aces, kills and volleys with equal skill and ease. They traded leads through much of the first, with the Lady Lions finally upping the ante and pulling away for a 25-22 victory in the first.

Visibly shaken by the final volley of the first game, the Lady Lobos were unable to find their traction in the second. The Lady Lions handed them a swift 25-13 defeat, all but securing victory in their minds, and in the minds of their fans.

The Lady Lions got off to a rocky start in the third. With two solid games behind them, the home team seemed almost too comfortable on the court, with several near misses shaking their confidence and leading to more mistakes on the court.

In the stands, fans held their breath and voiced their support. As the fans turned up the volume, the Lady Lions turned up the heat, nearly overtaking the Lady Lobos in the third, but falling short, 22-25.

“After Game 2, we settled, thinking that we won and could coast to a finish,” said Head Coach Jayme Pauley.

Pauley noted her team’s inconsistent play in the third and fourth games almost cost them a victory. However, she said, the Lady Lions managed to revitalize their efforts in the fifth and focus on their goal.

“The girls were really determined to get their first win in district,” Pauley said.

That win came, finally, in the forced fifth game.

The Lady Lions started the game on fire. With strong play and stronger teamwork, the Lady Lions returned nearly everything the Lady Lobos could muster to throw at them. Though the leads traded for a few early points, the Lady Lions, seeming fueled by the cheers of their fans, their Freshman and JV teammates, and one another, broke away and dominated the last game, 15-7.

Ashley Moore put three aces and four kills on the board. Isis Johnson added three blocks to her tally sheet, while Shelby Heinrichs contributed 25 digs. Jamie Schulle picked up 10 assists, and Meridith Moore had four kills.
According to Pauley, though, it was Jesi Greer who made some of the most valuable contributions on the court.

“She kept the ball going on our side and got the ball back when we needed a break,” she said. “She had this way about her that just held the team together and made them work even harder. Every time she did something, she was in the middle of the court, cheering as loud as she could.”

The Lady Lions came out of the match with a 1-1 record in district play and a 12-16 record on the season. They faced off with the Manor Lady Wildcats on Tuesday, and will host the San Marcos Lady Rattlers on Friday, Sept. 26.
Varsity volleyball action in the Lion’s Den, Gym #1 will start at 7 p.m.