Going Back
    Monahans Earns Fourth Straight 3A Berth
  By John Hasselmeier, Sports Correspondent ~ Odessa American, 11/13/05

LUBBOCK  Upstart Dalhart made the Monahans High School volleyball team work Saturday in the championship match of the Region I-3A Tournament at the Rip Griffin Center.

However, Monahans was up to the challenge, taking down Dalhart 25-22, 25-17, 25-16.

As a result, defending state champion Monahans is in the UIL Class 3A State Volleyball Championships for the fourth consecutive year.  The Lady Loboes will play their semifinal match at Texas State University in San Marcos at either 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. Friday.

Monahans head volleyball coach Patty Dominguez said that a match like Saturday’s was good for her state-bound team.

“This match helped us to get together,” Dominguez said.  “We got pushed a little bit, and we hadn’t been pushed in a long time.  It was great that Dalhart stepped up and made the kids work for what they wanted, and our kids needed that.

“We needed to know that if we wanted to something, we needed to go get it.” 
One component of the last four Monahans volleyball teams is senior Brittany Hughes, who started on each one.

“It’s an awesome feeling,” Hughes said.  “I just can’t explain it.  I felt more pressure this year because the three years before this, we were here and reaching state was kind of like a goal and an expectation at the same time, and not only get here, but to win it.

“I think it helps a lot to have tough teams push you, so whenever you get there, you’re more experienced and you’re ready.”

The first game was especially trying as Dominguez ended up using both timeouts before Hughes’ kill gave Monahans the first game 25-22.  Hughes finished with 20 kills, four ace serves and a block.

Those timeouts would be the only two Dominguez would call because Monahans stayed in front much of the way in the last two games.

At the same time, Dalhart, which defeated such storied programs as Lamesa and Seminole earlier in the playoffs, just wouldn’t go away until Alison Miller’s seventh kill gave Monahans the victory and the state tournament berth.

As for Dalhart, Alexa Oelke and Lauren Brown led the way with seven kills apiece. 
Dominguez said she really wouldn’t let the accomplishment of four consecutive state tournament berths sink in yet because she still saw that her team had work to do before the tournament.

“The fact that we didn’t play as sharply as I wanted us to is why,” Dominguez said.  “I’m still thinking about that kind of thing, what we’re going to have to do on Monday to get us sharp again, so I think four-for-four will probably hit me when we get there.” 

Hughes has some ideas on what Monahans hopes to accomplish in San Marcos. 

“We’re gonna go for the gold and just end it with a big bam,” Hughes said. 

The UIL will announce pairings for the state tournament today.

Other than Monahans, Texarkana Pleasant Grove (38-4), Bellville (33-6) and Luling (35-7) qualified.

Luling beat Wimberley in the Region IV-3A final, and Bellville topped Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill in the Region III-3A final.  Barbers Hill lost in the state final last season to Monahans.