Volleyball: Lady Loboes move on to final

SAN MARCOS The Monahans volleyball team didn’t exactly get the start it envisioned in its UIL Class 3A state semifinal match on Friday.

But the Lady Loboes certainly can’t complain about their finish.

Monahans shined down the stretch in three of four games, toppling White Oak 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20 before 3,100 spectators at Strahan Coliseum.

The Lady Loboes (36-10) advanced to the state championship match for the 12th time in school history. They are seeking their 10th title and first since 2004.

Monahans will play Wimberley, a three-game winner against Columbus in Friday’s other semifinal, at 1 p.m. today.

It will be the second time in five years the teams will meet with the state title on the line — Wimberley won the 2003 contest in a three-game sweep.

“We weren’t going to fall apart, because we’ve been in those positions plenty of times this year,” Monahans senior Bailey Marcum, who had a match-high 17 kills and 2.5 blocks, said of her team’s slow starts. “Being in those positions is a good thing, because it teaches you how to fight back.”

In advancing to the state-championship match for the fourth time in five years, Monahans used its resolve and tough blocking to prevail.

The Lady Loboes had 11 blocks for the match, limiting White Oak — which had a 41-match winning streak snapped — to a .021 hitting performance.

White Oak (41-2) had 40 kills in 142 swings, but committed 37 errors.

“We’ve been pounding these kids blocking-wise, because I know we’re a better blocking team,” said Monahans coach Patty Dominguez, whose team has won 13 straight matches in which it captured the opening game. “I’ve just been waiting for them to wake up so we can do this.”

In the match-clinching fourth game, Monahans rallied from a 15-11 deficit, riding a 7-1 run to an 18-16 advantage.

Heather Schulz led the way with two kills and two assisted blocks.

“It’s really exciting whenever you get great kills and blocks,” said Schulz, who had 10 kills, four blocks and hit .412. “It just puts the other team down and makes you stronger.”

White Oak pulled even at 18-18, but Jordan Latham had two kills, Kati Holly had one kill and Marcum and Kristi Holly combined for a block for a 22-19 lead.

The Ladynecks closed to 22-20 on a kill by Kristin Secord, but Monahans tallied the final three points, winning on consecutive punishing kills from Marcum.

“We had it right there to win, and I was just wanting to finish it off,” Marcum said.

The Lady Loboes, in the state tournament for the fifth time in six years, seized control of the contest, staging late rallies in winning the first two games.

In setting the tone, Monahans overcame deficits of 5-0, 10-5 and 20-19 in Game 1, erasing the latter deficit with a 6-1 run.

In Game 2, Monahans led early, taking a 9-6 margin on a kill by Latham, who finished with nine kills, 12 digs and three aces. But White Oak rebounded, using an 8-1 run to take a 14-11 lead.

Tied at 21-21, the Lady Loboes pulled away, getting back-to-back kills from Schulz for a 23-21 lead, then capitalized on two White Oak hitting errors to close out the frame.

Monahans def. White Oak

25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20

UIL CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Semifinal match, Friday

At Texas State’s Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos

Kills — Monahans: Bailey Marcum 17, Heather Schulz 10, Jordan Latham 9, Kati Holly 2, Kaitlin Mitchell 2, Kristi Holly 2. White Oak: Mary Morgan Swanson 13, Kristin Secord 10, Larissa Simmons 8, Emily Bybel 6, Natalie Craven 2.

Blocks — Monahans: Heather Schulz 4, Kati Holly 2.5, Bailey Marcum 2.5, Kristi Holly 1, Jordan Latham .5, Shelbi Cornelius .5. White Oak: Kristin Secord 4.5, Mary Morgan Swanson 2, Natalie Craven 1, Emily Bybel .5.

Assists — Monahans: Kaitlin Mitchell 37, Heather Schulz 2. White Oak: Natalie Craven 22, Morgan Wilson 5.

Digs — Monahans: Jordan Latham 12, Kaitlin Mitchell 12, Heather Schulz 8, Kristi Wilson 6, Bailey Marcum 5, Bertha Felan 3, Kati Holly 2, Kristi Holly 1. White Oak: Morgan Gabriel 15, Kristin Secord 9, Natalie Craven 7, Larissa Simmons 6, Emily Bybel 3, Mary Morgan Swanson 3, Juliana Tuel 2, Morgan Wilson 1, Samantha Stephenson 1, Hailee Washburn 1.

Aces — Monahans: Jordan Latham 3, Kaitlin Mitchell 2, Kati Holly 1, Bailey Marcum 1. White Oak: Morgan Wilson 3, Larissa Simmons 3, Natalie Craven 2, Kristin Secord 1, Mary Morgan Swanson 1.

Records

Monahans 36-10; White Oak 41-2.

UIL State Championships

At Texas State University, San Marcos

Thursday’s Scores

CLASS 2A

Semifinals

Poth def. Centerville 31-29, 25-15, 25-15

Bushland def. Big Sandy Harmony 20-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16

CLASS 4A

Semifinals

Waco Midway def. Randall 25-20, 28-26, 21-25, 25-16

Friendswood def. New Braunfels Canyon 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-17

———

Friday’s Scores

CLASS 1A

Semifinals

Windthorst def. Flatonia 21-25, 25-19, 25-13, 21-25, 17-15.

Iola def. Kopperl 25-18, 13-25, 18-25, 25-14, 15-8.

CLASS 3A

Semifinals

Monahans def. White Oak 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20.

Wimberley def. Columbus 25-21, 25-20, 27-25.

CLASS 5A

Semifinals

Austin Westlake def. Plano West 23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20.

Amarillo High def. Houston Cypress-Fairbanks 28-26, 25-16, 25-15.

———

Saturday’s Matches

CLASS 1A

Final

Windthorst (37-2) vs. Iola (36-3), 9 a.m.

CLASS 2A

Final

Bushland (30-7) vs. Poth (37-8), 11 a.m.

CLASS 3A

Final

Monahans (36-10) vs. Wimberley (37-7), 1 p.m.

CLASS 4A

Final

Waco Midway (46-1) vs. Friendswood (38-6), 3 p.m.

CLASS 5A

Final

Amarillo High (45-1) vs. Austin Westlake (42-1), 5 p.m.