Unfortunately for the Lady Loboes, there wasn’t much cheering after a 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 loss to Class 5A Lubbock Coronado.
“It was disappointing,” Monahans head volleyball coach Patty Dominguez said. “We didn’t play up to our level of play, so anytime you play and lose that way, it’s disappointing.”
While all three games were close, Coronado led almost all the way. The Lady Loboes never led by more than one point.
“We never played a team this year with that kind of speed,” Dominguez said. “I think that made a difference.”
Despite possibly being a little bleary-eyed from a four-and-one-half hour placement test, Cutbirth still managed to lead in scoring with eight kills. Bethany Willmon was right behind her with seven.
“She (Cutbirth) and Bethany Willmon were really hitting the ball well today,” Dominguez said. “I need to get my juniors on track.”
As for Coronado, the Lady Mustangs used a three-prong attack that worked effectively.
That included Brooke Smith, Kati Dillard and Hannah Pachall, who always seemed to get a key hit when needed.
“They all stepped up,” Coronado head volleyball coach Chad Jones said. “Offensively, they took care of us in the net, got us big kills when we needed it, got us sideouts when it seemed like Monahans was going to go on a run, one of those three would step up for us.”
Monahans, which entered the match as the second-ranked team in Class 3A, is now 25-3.
Coronado raised its record to 7-14.