Worth the Wait
    Monahans Pulls Third Straight Title at Own Event
    by Chris Gove ~~ Odessa American, August 19, 2007

Monahans – It is entirely possible that a few players broke curfew Saturday to play in the championship match of the 34th Annual Monahans Volleyball Tournament.

It was 9:55 p.m. when Monahans and El Paso Burges stepped onto the court in the Jerry Larned Sports Complex to begin the championship match -- almost three hours behind the scheduled start time of 7 p.m.

But a slew of tight matches throughout the Gold Bracket pushed the schedule way back before the championship contestants could get under way.

Once Monahans and Burges did get on court, the home team won its third consecutive title with a 25-16, 25-16 victory that took about 40 minutes.  The Lady Loboes have won three straight titles in their own tournament only one other time, from 1981-1983.

Bailey Marcum had 12 kills and three blocks to help lead the way, while Jordan Latham provided nine kills.  Monahans setter Kaitlin Mitchell dished out 23 assists.

To reach the final, Monahans had to stave off three match points to beat El Paso Franklin 25-20, 17-25, 26-24 in the semifinals.  Burges also didn't have an easy time reaching the final, getting extended in the first round before topping Lubbock Trinity 16-25, 27-25, 25-20.

In the championship, Monahans was helped along by six Burges service errors but also produced 28 kills, two service aces -- both by Heather Schulz late in Game 2 -- and five team blocks to earn more than half the 50 point it scored.