Lady Loboes Win District Opener at Presidio
    By Randy Hogan - Staff Writer ~~ The Monahans News, October 7, 2005

The Monahans Lady Loboes opened the District 3-3A season with a 25-11, 25-16, 25-13 victory over Presidio Tuesday night in the Texas border city.

Monahans (32-3) was never challenged by the Blue Devils, but know that their performance could be much better.

"It wasn't bad," Coach Patty Dominguez said.  "We had some miscues, but we did our job.  It challenges our focus, but we still have to complete."

Dominguez admits that getting up for Presidio is difficult.

"It's a hard place to play because of the long trip, the old-style cooling system (evaporative air) moves the ball, and the level of competition is not the same as we have been playing."

The Lady Loboes have challenged some of the states premier Class 5A and 4A teams this season, and played extremely well in those matches.  With Presidio not presenting the same level of competition, the Ladies offered a personal challenge to Coach Dominguez.

"They wanted to hold them to under 10 points in each game," Dominguez said.  "If they accomplished that feat, they would get to put a pie in the face for one game, Gina Williams and Connie Bean in the other games."

Dominguez accepted the challenge with one condition.  "If we gave up more than ten points in a game, then I got to throw pies," Dominguez said.  "We let some things get by us, and did not hold them under ten in any game Tuesday."

After Wednesday night's practice, the Ladies made good on their deal, and Coach Dominguez applied beautiful crème pies, prepared by Gina and Sabra Miller, to the reluctant Lady Lobo team leaders' faces.  Brittany Hughes, Candace Swarb and Allison Miller showed good sportsmanship in the photo session, smiling despite the pie coverage.

Statistics from the Presidio game include:
Brittany Hughes, 17 kills, 3 digs, 4 aces
Alison Miller, 10 kills, 2 blocks
Bethany Willmon, 3 kills, 3 digs, 1 ace
Catherine Cutbirth, 5 kills, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 6 digs
Dina Ortiz, 1 kill, 6 digs, 5 aces
Candace Swarb, 32 assists, 5 digs, 2 aces
Bailey Marcum, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 4 digs, 1 ace

The ladies are excited to be back home after a grueling road trip that took them to Midland Lee, Lubbock Trinity, Midland High and then Presidio.

"The kid's are tired of traveling and looking forward to the next three matches at home." Dominguez said.

MHS will host Fort Stockton Saturday, then Pecos Tuesday, before concluding the home stretch with Presidio.

Fort Stockton will post an unknown challenge for the Ladies, as the two teams have not faced each other the entire season.

The Panthers defeated Pecos in 5 games Tuesday night 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-27, 15-10, and are tied at 1-0 in District 3-3A with the Lady Loboes.

"They come in with a winning record this year and a lot of confidence," Dominguez said.  "I expect them to come out and play us aggressively in the first game."

Monahans will take advantage of the mental edge they have over Fort Stockton, having dominated match play over Dominguez tenure as MHS head coach.

"Once we establish our dominance on the court, I don't think they will come back with the same level of intensity in the second and third games."

Another advantage Dominguez expects to capitalize on will be attacking the ball.

"We attach the ball a whole lot better than they do," Dominguez said, "They will play tough for a few points, and then you'll see them fizzle.  That's the way we approach every game, we want to attack the ball."

Game time for the Lady Loboes and Panthers will be 1pm at the Jerry Larned Sports Complex Saturday.