By Moses Leos III
A hard fought effort Monday couldn’t give the Lehman Lady Lobos their first district win as they fell 13-25, 22-25, 25-14, 15-25 to the Anderson Trojans at the Lobo Den.
Despite the loss, Lehman head coach Candace Warr felt the team’s third set win helped build confidence.
“It shows they can be successful,” Warr said. “Our enemy right now is maintaining momentum and confidence in all of our games and sets. Winning that [set] lets them know they are capable of winnings sets or a match.”
Lehman junior Meagan Richards-Dees led the team with four kills, while sophomore Natalie Herrera had 12 digs. Senior Twyla Garcia and sophomore Kaylee Wipff each had four aces.
Ball control on offense hindered the Lady Lobos in the first set. While the Lehman Lobos utilized their speed and quickness to set the attack, their inability to consistently hit the ball allowed Anderson easy points.
The Lady Trojans held a 10-2 lead and the momentum.
Lehman attempted to rally back, but couldn’t match the pace of Anderson’s offense. Lehman senior Natalia Barajas attributed the Lobos’ early struggles to communication issues.
Those issues were rectified in the second set. Spurred by adept defensive play, the Lady Lobos held their own against Anderson. Also aiding the effort was an improved passing game that allowed Lehman to stay in system and generate points.
Anderson built a 7-4 lead before the Lady Lobos stormed back. Lehman went on a 6-3 run, tying the match at 10-10. From there, both teams went back and forth, trading points along the way.
Lehman tied the match twice, the second time via an ace from Garcia. But the Lady Lobos were unable to get over the hump and take the lead. With the match tied at 22-22, Anderson went on a 3-0 run to close the set.
But the improved play lifted the confidence of the Lady Lobos. Barajas said the team’s communication improved in the second set.
“We came together as a team and as one. We did things we’ve done in practice and put into play on the court,” Barajas said. “A lot of us stepped up and a lot of us came out of our shell.”
Lehman carried the momentum into the third set. Guided by Richard-Dees, the Lady Lobos jumped out to a 7-4 lead and never looked back. Lehman powered its way to a 21-11 advantage en route to taking the set.
Digs from Hererra and Kali Palomarez propogated success for Lehman’s third set run. In addition, the Lady Lobos also got defensive contributions from players such as Garcia and Barajas, who were not used to playing on the back row.
“For me, it was scary. My heart was beating like a little bunny rabbit’s,” Garcia said on playing in the back row. “But it got us to see how much work our teammates put into it.”
Warr said motivation also came from the bench and the crowd, which helped keep the Lady Lobos moving forward.
“Our momentum continued to rise,” Barajas said. “We never got down on ourselvs. We were consistent.”
But Anderson regrouped in the fourth set and put the match away. The Lady Trojans led 10-5 and slammed on the gas pedal from there.
While the Lady Lobos remain winless in 14-6A play, Barajas continues to be optimistic for her team.
“Everyone expects us to be underdogs. It’s understandable,” Barajas said. “But we have the skill and the potential to be a good team. We’re finally starting to believe in ourselves.”
