The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity volleyball team secured a spot in the Class 3A play-offs, after taking down Tulia on Tuesday night, 3-0; 25-23, 25-23 and 25-21.
With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 17-14 overall, 2-5 in district play.
Myli Hernandez delivered a kill off of Kaleigh Franco to begin set one, but Madi Brown’s next serve fell short of the net, tying the set, 1-1. Hernandez dropped in a tip on the sideline to regain the serve for Littlefield, but it was shortlived, as Gabby Medina sent a serve out of bounds, keeping the set tied, 2-2.
A hit by Madi Williams landed out of bounds on the sideline and Aubrii Williams followed it up with a kill for Tulia to stretch their lead to, 2-4. The Lady Cats would respond, as Cobi Saldana dropped a tip over the net that was hit into the net by Franco, trimming the lead to, 3-4.
Audrey Abeyta sent a hit into the net to tie the set, 4-4, and Maggie McNeese delivered a kill off of Abeyta to give Littlefield a one-point advantage, 5-4. Bri Valdez served up an ace off of Franco, but Franco would answer on the next play with a kill off of Valdez to make the score, 6-5. Valdez and Anna Solomon were each called for a double-hit and a serve from Teagan Miller landed out of bounds on the sideline tying the set, 7-7.
Jerrica Brookins sent a serve short of the net for Tulia and McNeese had a kill tipped out of bounds by Solomon, pushing the Littlefield lead to, 9-7. Nevaeh Lopez delivered a kill off of Solomon and Cali Saldana followed it up with a kill in the back corner of the court to push their lead to, 11-7. A tip by Cali Saldana was hit out of bounds by Solomon, but Valdez was called for a double-hit on the next play to end the rally, making the score, 12-8.
Tulia couldn’t capitalize, as Franco sent her serve sailing out of bounds on the sideline making the score, 13-8. Bryndle Ray and Abrie Gomez each sent a serve out of bounds and a hit from Kloe Chasco was outside of the foul pole for a Littlefield point, stretching the lead to, 15-9.
Tulia would rally back to tie the set, 19-19, after a hit by Cobi Saldana floated into the net, and Cobi Saldana sent a kill attempt sailing out of bounds to put Tulia in front, 19-20. Jazlynn Del toro sent a kill out of bounds for Tulia and Chasco was called for a double-hit on the next play, making the score, 21-20.
Alyssa Torres tipped the net for an ace on the sideline for Littlefield, as Tulia took a time out to talk things over, trailing, 22-20. Out of the break, Torres served up an ace off of Averyana Marquez and Brookins was called for a double-hit on the next play, making the score, 24-20.
Torres had a serve land out of bounds on the sideline and Tulia followed it up with an ace from Franco off of Valdez to cut the lead to two-points, 24-22. McNeese sent a hit into the net, but a block on the next play by McNeese led to a four-hit call on Tulia, as the Lady Cats took set one, 25-23.
Lopez delivered a kill off of Franco to open set two for Littlfield, but Brown sent a serve short of the net to tie the set, 1-1. A bad set by Chasco gave the serve back to Littlefield and Hernandez delivered a kill in front of Marquez, before Medina served up an ace off of Franco to make the score, 4-1. A kill attempt by Franco landed out of bounds for Tulia pushing the lead to, 5-1, but Del toro answered with a kill off of Medina to trim the lead to, 5-2.
A few plays later, Tulia would tie the set, 6-6, after Valdez was called for a double-hit, sparking a five-point Tulia swing that ended when Franco sent a hit into the net, making the score, 7- 8. McNeese was called for touching the net on a block attempt, but Franco’s next serve fell short of the net, making the score, 8-9. A kill attempt by McNeese landed out of bounds sparking a fourpoint Tulia rally that ended with a kill by McNeese off of the block attempt by Solomon, trimming the lead to, 9-13.
Ray sent a hit short of the net and Cali Saldana mistimed a tip at the net, pushing Tulia’s lead to, 9-15. Tulia couldn’t capitalize, as Chasco sent a serve short of the net, turning the serve over to Littlefield. Hernandez sent a kill off of Abeyta and Solomon was called for a double-hit on the next play, trimming the lead to, 12-15.
Hernandez kept the rally going with a kill past Franco, as Tulia took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Cali Saldana was blocked by Gomez and Solomon for a kill, stretching the lead back out to, 13-16. Hernandez delivered a kill off of Chasco, but on the next play, Williams was blocked by Gomez for a kill and Tulia followed it up with a tip by Franco, making the score, 14-18.
Littlefield would answer, as a hit by Hernandez was dug into the net by Marquez, but it was shortlived, as Valdez sent a serve sailing out of bounds to make the score, 15-19. Brookins was called for a double-hit for Tulia and Hernandez followed it up with an ace off of Del toro, before McNeese sent a hit into the net, making the score, 17-20.
After falling behind, 18-22, Cali Saldana delivered a kill off of Franco and Solomon sent a hit into the net on the next play to cut the lead to, 20-22. A serve by McNeese landed out of bounds, but a tip by Cali Saldana on the next play was dug out by Abeyta, but landed out of bounds, trimming the lead to, 21-23. A save by Franco landed short of the net, as Tulia took a time out with their lead cut to, 22-23.
Out of the break, Gomez was blocked by Hernandez for a kill to tie the set and on the next play, Williams sent a hit into the net for Tulia, putting the Lady Cats in front, 24-23. Brown tipped the net with her serve for an ace to close out set two, 25-23, as Littlefield went up 2-0 in the match.
Littlefield jumped out to a, 4-0, lead to open set three, before Brown sent a serve short of the net, but Tulia couldn’t capitalize, after Williams sent a kill attempt sailing out of bounds making the score, 5-2. Hernandez was blocked by Gomez for a kill and Marquez followed it up with an ace off of Medina, before Franco sent a kill attempt out of bounds on the sideline to make the score, 6-4.
McNeese delivered a kill off of Franco’s block attempt and Valdez served up an ace off of Franco, as Tulia took a time out trailing, 8-4. Out of the break, Valdez served up another ace off of Abeyta and Marquez and she followed it up with a save on the next play that fell in for a kill in the back corner, pushing their lead to, 10-4.
Valdez was called for a doublehit to end the rally, but Tulia couldn’t capitalize, as Chasco sent a hit into the net on the next play, making the score, 11-5. Franco responded with a kill off of Cali Saldana, but her next kill attempt sailed out of bounds, stretching the lead to, 12-6.
Tulia would pull to within three points, after a tip by Hernandez landed out of bounds on the sideline to make the score, 14-11, but A hit on the next play by Solomon fell short of the net, making the score, 15-11. Williams hit the foul pole with a hit and Ray dropped in a tip for a kill to push their lead to, 17-11. Solomon sent a hit into the net to make the score, 18-11, as Tulia took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Solomon sent a kill attempt sailing out of bounds, but Littlefield couldn’t keep the rally going, as Medina sent a serve short of the net, trimming the lead to, 19-12. Marquez served up back-to-back aces off of Tailyn Gomez, but a tip on the following play by Hernandez was hit backwards out of bounds by Williams, pushing their lead back out to, 20-14.
Tulia went on a, 1-4, scoring run, before McNeese dropped a kill in the back corner to make the score, 22-18. Chasco answered with a kill in front of Monica Elizondo, but McNeese responded with a kill off of Franco and Cali Saldana delivered a kill in front of Franco to stretch their lead to, 24-19. Littlefield sent back-toback hits out of bounds, before a hit by Valdez fell in front of Franco for a kill to close out the set, 2519, and the match, 3-0.
The Lady Cats will close out the regular season on Tuesday with a road game against Childress.
First set is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.