Lady Loboes lock down district title, blast Prowlers in straight sets Tuesday night
   By Randy Hogan ~ ~ The Monahans News, October 21, 2005

The Monahans Lady Loboes put together an impressive string of set victories Tuesday night in Ft. Stockton, defeating the Prowlers 25-6, 25-8, and 25-7.  The win improves MHS' season record to 36-3 on the season and 5-0 in District 3-3 A.

More importantly, the Lady Loboes clinched the outright district championship with the victory, with only Pecos left on the schedule.  The 2005 championship also gives Coach Patty Dominguez the Lady Loboes four consecutive district titles, and extends their district winning streak to 31 matches.

In the opening set, Brittany Hughes opened the scoring with a thunderous kill for the game's first point, and Bailey Marcum slammed another to the prowler side of the court for a 2-0 lead.

Bethany Willmon put the aces.  Perhaps the biggest play of the set came when Cutbirth blasted a kill into the face of Ruby Bernal.  Bernal could only turn her head to avoid the rocket that Cutbirth Launched at her.  FSHS once again called timeout training 13-2.

Candace Swarb served six consecutive points, getting an ace and big hits from Marcum and Alison Miller, to race out to a 20-5 lead.

Cutbirth served an aces on her trip to the line, and kills by Hughes and Miller sealed the game 25-6 for the Green.

The Prowlers cane into game two with a sense of urgency, and quickly took a 0-2 lead over and quickly took a 0-2 lead over Monahans.

Hughes has the ability to turn a set around, and she did just that, evening the game with a overpowering kill followed by a big block to knot the game at 2-2.

After a point-for-point battle between the teams, Hughes knocked down a kill attempt to break serve.  She added another ace to her total from the line to give the Ladies the lead for good at 6-4.

Swarb would serve an ace later in the set, and Marcum served the final six points to pace the Ladies to a 25-8 win in the second set.

Marcum would begin game three with a kill, to give the MHS the 1-0 lead.  Then Willmon took control of the set serving 17 consecutive points for the Lady Loboes.

From the line, Willmon served three aces and got outstanding play from Cutbirth and Dina Ortiz.  Ortiz proved her grit diving for a one-handed save, and Hughes finished the play with a kill.

Willmon's barrage of points from the line put Monahans up 18-1 in the game.  The Ladies retained their focus and pasted a 25-7 victory over the Prowlers to win the district match.

Ft. Stockton fans witnessed first hand that reputations may not win championships, but a dominating and powerful front line will.  The victory continues MHS' streak to 31 consecutive district wins, and leaves the district wondering just when will the Lady Loboes play as mortals.

Monahans will travel to Pecos for their final district match Tuesday, October 25. 

Statistics from Tuesday include:  Kills-Brittany Hughes 13, Candace Swarb 1, Alison Miller 7, Bethany Willmon 3, Catherine Cutbirth 7, Bailey Marcum 6.

Block- Hughes 2, Willmon 1, Cutbirth 1.

Assists- Hughes 1, Swarb 27, Willmon 1, Cutbirth 3.

Digs- Hughes 8, Swarb 6, Willmon 8, Cutbirth 7, Marcum 7, Dina Ortiz, 8.

Aces- Hughes 5, Swarb a, Willmon. 

Keyed by Jennifer Ray Senior