Lady Loboes Punch Ticket to State Tourney to Defend Title
By Randy Hogan, Staff Writer ~The Monahans News ~ November. 15, 2006
The Monahans Lady Loboes Need tow Match wins at the Region I volleyball Tournament in order to make a return trip to San Marcos this week .
The Class 3A defending State Champions overpowered Graham 25-11, 25-8, 25-14 in the Semi-finales, then held off a determined Dalhart team 25-22, 25-17, 25-16 in the Finales to advance to the state Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
Monahans faced Graham Friday night, who ironically was led by the former Lady Lobo Leah Johnson.
Monahans started the game with Dina Ortiz at the serving line, and jumped out to an early 4-0 lead behind powerful blasts from Brittany Hughes and Bethany Willmon.
Hughes teamed with Catherine Cutbirth for a big block to move MHS to a 7-2 lead, and Cutbirth sent a bomb into the Lady Blue defense that could not be handled. Coach Johnson called a timeout trailing Monahans 8-2.
Candace Swarb's first serve was returned by Graham, and Alison Miller sent Swarb's back set deep into the Lady Blue court, untouched for a 13-4 lead.
After a brief rally by Graham, Alison Miller nailed a kill attempt at the feet of Courtney Widner to stop the Lady Blue run at 16-7.
Bailey Marcum served two points to put the Green in a commanding 20-9 lead, highlighted by a tandem block at the net from Hughes and Swarb.
Hughes served the final three points of the game, picking up two aces in her rotation at the line. At game point, defensive specialist Hailey Schlegel could only watch as Hughes' power served found a sweet spot on the court to give Monahans a 25-11 game one victory.
Aubrey Lamour began the second set at the line for Graham, but Marcum and Hughes posted a monster block to claim the early 1-0 lead.
Marcum served the final point giving the lady Loboes a 25-8 victory.
Knowing they needed only one win to call it a night, Hughes dinked the first point over the net, and Marcum picked up a block to move the Ladies to a 2-0 lead in game three.
Graham fought back to tie the game at 2-2, but Hughes showcased her division one skills with big shots and key blocks to give MHS the lead.
Leading 8-4, Swarb set Curbirth, and Hughes carried out the fake. Cutbirth drilled the ball off the defensive specialist Hailey Schlegal for the Lady Blues to break serve and put MHS on the line.
Feeling their groove, MHS used their experience to overpower Graham.
Miller hammered an overset back into the Graham court, and Hughes' rocket serve was too much for the Lady Blues to handle. Coach Johnson called a timeout trailing 10-4.
After exchanging side outs, Swarb went to the serving line for Monahans. Graham returned the serve and Swarb quick set Marcum, who pulled the trigger and unloaded a kill into the back corner of the court for a 13-5 lead.
Miller and Marcum stuffed the Lady Blues with another timely block, and Graham used a timeout trailing 19-7, and the Green kept rolling.
The most contested point of the night went to Graham, as each team battled fiercely to knock the ball down for point. The point closed the gap to 19-10 for the Lady Blues.
Monahans proved they are deserving of their 2004 state title by blasting Graham with devastating kill shots by Hughes.
Hughes' blast into the body of Schlegel took the set to game point. Hughes followed with a serve that Graham could only watch go by, and the Lady Loboes advanced to the Regional Finals.
REGIONAL FINALS - SATURDAY
On Saturday, Monahans took the court against Dalhart for the third time this season. The Ladies defeated the Wolves in the Monahans and Seminole tournaments earlier this season.
Dalhart took the early lead 1-0, but MHS would storm back for a 7-3 lead off of big kills from Hughes. Hughes also added an ace from the service line.
The Lady Wolves would fight back and close the gap to 9-8 before Miller hammered a kill into the Dalhart side to break serve.
Cutbirth picked up a key ace to give Monahans an 11-8 lead.
Marcum ended Alexa Oelke's rotation at the service line by pounding a ball that three different Dalhart defenders could not handle.
Marcum served the next three points, forcing Dalhart Coach Jason Culpepper into a timeout.
Hughes dropped Lady Wolves' jaws with a quick set from Swarb, hammering the pass into the ground.
Leading 18-11, Willmon reeled off four consecutive points, prompting Culpepper to use another timeout trailing 20-11. During the rotation Hughes used a block and a quick dump over the net to exploit the Dalhart defense.
After a brief run by the Lady Wolves, Miller broke serve with a tip over the net that Dalhart could not get to. Monahans led 23-16.
Whitney Lang would roll off five points to tighten the game to 23-21, and Coach Patty Dominguez called for time.
The Lady Loboes listened intensely to Coach Dominguez, displaying confidence and a relaxed attitude.
Hughes closed the game for the Green with a kill to give the Lady Loboes a 25-22 victory.
Monahans would start slow in the second set, falling behind 0-2 early.
Marcum gave the Ladies the lead from the service line, as Hughes pasted a blasted untouched and deep into the Dalhart backcourt.
The teams exchanged points until Monahans broke the game open with Hughes at the service line. Miller smashed a kill for point and Hughes recorded an ace to give MHS an 10-6 lead.
Miller continued to control the net for Monahans, pounding Dalhart for big points off kills.
MHS added four more points in Marcum's rotation at the line for a 21-10 lead, and the teams exchanged points through the remainder of the game. Monahans won the second set 25-17.
The Lady Loboes have not lost a set since their defeat to Odessa High on September 20 and needed only one more game to dispose of Dalhart in the regional finals.
Alexa Oelke served for the Lady Wolves, but Monahans went to work quickly as Hughes knocked down the ball between Dalhart players for the games first point.
Hughes used her rotation at the line to increase the Lady Lobo lead with an ace and a kill from Cutbirth.
Monahans got big plays from Miller, Marcum Willmon, Hughes, and Cutbirth to keep the pressure on Dalhart.
Monahans broke the game open on a Hughes block during Willmon's rotation at the line, and Coach Dominguez applauded her team for their hustle as Dalhart called timeout trailing 19-12.
Hughes recorded two aces and added six points to the MHS total in her time at the line.
Miller finished off the Lady Wolves with three monster kills, and the Lady Loboes defeated Dalhart 25-16 to sweep the match from Dalhart.
"This match helped us to get together," Dominguez said. "We got pushed a little, and that was good because we had not been pushed in a while. Dalhart made us work for what we wanted, and we needed that."
Symbolic of the hard hats that the Monahans girls dad's wear to each game, the Lady Loboes punched their card to the Class 3A State Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
All tournament selections included Candace Swarb, Alison Miller, and Bailey Marcum. Brittany Hughes was named the first ever RegionI-3A Most Valuable Player.
The Lady Loboes advance to the state tournament for the fourth year, and will defend their 2004 Class 3A State Championship.
Monahans (41-3), joins Texarkana Pleasant Grove (38-4), Bellville (33-6), and Luling (35-7). Bellville knocked off Barbers Hill in the Region III final. Monahans defeated Barbers Hill in the state title game in 2004.